Books Rock Our Socks!

Born To Run

2011-05-03T00:48:00.002-04:00

Tramps like us, baby we were bo-orn to run. Whoa-o-o-oh. Wah-o-o-o-oh-o.

Sorry. Bruce Springsteen flashback. First thing I think of when I hear the words "born to run." Appropriately, the author paid homage to The Boss with an excerpt from the song in one of the chapter headings. (I don't think that's the right thing to call those quotes at the beginning of each chapter. Epigraph doesn't seem right, either. Anyone know?)

Okay. So the book with the really long subtitle. Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall. Usually things with titles this long are published in scholarly journals. Anyway, I never would have picked up this book if it hadn't been the pick for April. (Although I just found out that May is National Runner's Month. Should've waited. Oh well.) I probably would have never even seen it, since I loiter in the fiction section of the library. I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to read. Not exciting enough to keep me awake late at night (though in all fairness I don't think I have ever found a nonfiction book with that ability) but interesting enough that it wasn't hard to pick up again. I wanted to know what happened next. I did wonder how it could be so long, though. A hundred pages in I was wondering what was left to tell. The author digresses a lot and throws in some of the backstories for his odd ensemble of characters.

Ultradistance running. Distance running. Running. Not really my thing. My body likes the endorphin rush from running, but I'd rather get it by exercising in some other way. And since I'm not willing to go running with kids in tow, nor am I motivated enough to do it in the early morning or late evening hours in order to go by myself - I'd rather be sleeping or reading - I don't do it at all unless I'm playing chase, tag, soccer, etc., with the aforementioned kids. So I don't know how I came to be surrounded by runners. My chiropractor brother likes running. His wife runs half-marathons and is training for full ones. One brother-in-law does triathlons. Another sister-in-law just ran a 200-mile race with a team of several other people. I have several friends who love to run. I don't know how they do it. Running until I puke does not sound like fun to me. But McDougall makes a good case for giving it a shot. I almost believe that running could be a hidden superpower that I possess. Almost.

This post should probably go on my personal blog. It's not much of a book review. But the book is good. Almost like a collection of articles that were combined to make a book. Interesting tidbits about the science of running, shoe companies being the bad guys, diet, and the people who are passionate about ultradistance running. The thing that would have made the book better for me is a section of photographs of these crazy characters. They are so out there that they seem fictional. But I Googled a couple of the names and they are real people. And here's a photograph of Scott Jurek and one of the Tarahumara runners (maybe Arnulfo? There was mention of a photograph like this one in the book). If you're a runner, you should definitely read Born to Run. If you're thinking about becoming a runner, don't waste your money on an expensive pair of shoes.

Peter and the Starcatchers

2011-04-14T16:09:00.002-04:00

Alright, I have a confession to make. I've been hooked on another series of books and have been reading them, instead of our book club books. Naughty, I know :) Cory started reading Peter and the Starcatchers (since I was neglecting it, oops!) and he said it was intriguing. I started reading it and bam, was hooked. It's entertaining and the characters were interesting. I wanted to find out what happened, so I kept reading.

And now, can I just say "amen" to Chad's post and call it good? I agree with him. The characters were all well-developed. It was very entertaining (I love Dave Barry... I've always thought he's hilarious). It did move quickly and made for a short, but good, read. It was adventurous. Witty. And I loved how they threw in some other references -- like how the Loch Ness monster was created, or how all the Greek mythology was actually people just hopped up on 'starstuff'.

The ending did feel a little rushed to me, too. Within the space of only a few pages, Peter defeats Black Stache (love that name, by the way), learns he can fly, learns he won't grow old, decides to stay forever on the island, and gets a fairy. I think a little more details would have been good, since the rest was more well-developed. But it was still a thoroughly enjoyable read. I'm definitely going to look into getting the other books in the series from the library.

On sale now...

2011-03-18T21:14:00.003-04:00

Just in case somebody hasn't started Peter and the Starcatchers yet, it's on sale at Audible for $5. I've been buying audio books from them for a couple years and like the company a lot. Unfortunately I bought it a couple weeks ago before the sale. This particular book is narrated very well.

Peter and the Starcatchers

2011-03-13T04:06:00.003-04:00

As with most books I "read" these days, I listened to the audio version of Peter and the Starcatchers. I started it with my son Kevin, (6 yrs old) but at the pace we were going, it would have taken us a couple months to finish. I ended up reading most of it Friday while working in my shop. Kevin is really in to it, and this is a great book to enjoy with younger kids! Who doesn't like a good pirate story?

My background of Peter Pan is mostly limited to a few plays and a condensed version on vinyl I listened to as a kid. I don't even recall seeing the Disney movie before, although I've watched Robin Williams in Hook, and perhaps a couple others. In another post Never Fairy mentioned this book doesn't follow the original storyline very well, but due to my ignorance, I was able to thoroughly enjoy it anyway.

Reading Starcatchers reminded me a lot of Treasure Island, but better. I found the pace moved quickly, the characters entertaining, and the production (Audible version) outstanding. Aside from Peter and Molly, I liked other characters such as Tubby Ted, (we share similar priorities) Black Stache and his "ladies", and the token big dumb sidekick, Little Richard.

My only complaint is the ending felt a little rushed while tying this in to the original Peter Pan story. The future Captain Hook and his nemesis Mr Grin were developed well, but other elements like the realization of Peter's flight, his inability to age, and creation of Tinkerbell all seemed to be jammed in at the last minute. All things considered, this was a fun light read, and Dave Barry's humorous undertones kept me smiling. I'm sure I'll check out the next three books in this series!

March and April Books

2011-03-02T22:29:00.002-05:00

March's book: Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry. (Did anyone else know that Barry wrote books, not just columns?! I just found out and am excited to read this book... I've heard good things!) It's the 1st in a series of 3 books. It's supposed to be like a prequel to Peter Pan.

April's book: Born to Run, by Christopher McDougall.

March?

2011-03-02T10:20:00.002-05:00

Ok so I know everyone isn't done with February's book (and by that, I mean me :) Should we pick a new one for March? Or just extend The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society into March? Thoughts? I've got an idea of something that would be fun to read... plus, I think all you peeps with kids (who are old enough to read) would enjoy sharing it with your kids...

Greets from the Frozen North!

2011-02-23T21:09:00.002-05:00

Hi everybody, figured it's about time I introduce myself.

I know Sarah through her husband Cory, whom I grew up with in Utah. Newly married in 1998, I joined the Air Force and received orders to Anchorage, Alaska where we instantly fell in love with the state. To remain here, I eventually transferred to the Alaska Air National Guard, and also took a job with the FAA as an electronic tech. Much of my time is spent traveling around Alaska maintaining navigational aids, radio and satellite communication sites, and weather stations. About once a year I take a temporary duty assignment or deployment with the Air Force, and have enjoyed the opportunity to travel throughout Asia, Europe, and Africa.

My lovely wife hails from Hong Kong, and we have two children. Kevin is 6, in 1st grade, and developing into quite the reader as we tackle Harry Potter together. Alexa will be 3 soon and still working on her ABC's. Our family loves living in Alaska and take advantage of the many recreational activities here. Reading everyone's introductions, it's interesting to see several others with ties to this beautiful state!

Although I've loved reading all my life, audio books have spurred my interest in the last couple years. A good deal of my day is spent driving, and I've found the time is well spent listening to books I wouldn't otherwise have time to read. I've tried to revisit some classics I missed like The Count of Monte Cristo, (which I now love)but my main focus lies with history, science, and adventure biographies. Look me up on Goodreads if you'd like to see what I've been reading.

I've never belonged to a book club before, but I really enjoy discussing what I've read. I look forward to getting to know everyone and perhaps expanding my horizons a bit. While I don't see myself getting sucked into Twilight anytime soon, I'm sure there are plenty other great books we will share a common interest in!

Chad's take

2011-02-23T10:19:00.002-05:00

I better review this while it's still fresh in my memory... Although I don't consider myself well-read on WWII, I have enjoyed a dozen books or so (mostly non-fiction) that take place during this most significant period in recent history. Nearly everything I've read takes the perspective of American and Allied troops in the midst of battle, and only mentions civilian life of those left behind in passing.

What I enjoyed most about this book, were the descriptions of how a community far removed from the front lines lived through Nazi occupation, the threat of air raids, and other horrors of war by forming social networks like their literary society. It illustrates that people must learn to cope with the tragic circumstances they find themselves in. Survivors strive to find constructive distractions to demoralizing chaos. In a way, I could draw parallels to the aftermath of 9/11 in our own time.

Several letters, Eben Ramsey's account of the pig roast in particular, were very poignant and interesting to read. I imagine that his description of a farmer forced to provide food to an enemy army was very realistic. I also appreciated Dawsey Adams insight and introspection which were in stark contrast to the effeminate Clovis Fossey blathering on about women's purses and heels or dim-witted Isola Pribby's forensic skills.

Other than published diaries, I've never run across a book that uses a written letter format exclusively to tell the story. After reading this, I can see why. Without a narrator or outside voice to tie up loose ends, the author is forced to fill in details using mundane telegrams and other short bantering correspondence which made parts of the book seem like eavesdropping on someone's private text message session. I'm sure some of that is necessary to move the story along when the authors commit to this style of writing, but it really highlights the weakness and tediousness of the format.

I had a hard time connecting with the characters and therefore never developed a reason to care much about them or become emotionally attached. Something about the way that these different personalities came together and bonded around Elizabeth just didn't ring true to me. Similarly, Juliet's passion to devote her life to her Guernsey pen pals seemed a bit overzealous didn't it?

In the end, there were parts I really enjoyed, especially the powerful and emotional observations of war through civilian eyes. Unfortunately, these moments were fleeting and far between. I realize that I'm not exactly the target audience the authors had in mind, but I honestly did try to put my biases aside and read this objectively. I believe the author's chosen format was the biggest drawback for me, but that aside, I just couldn't find much to appreciate about this story.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

2011-02-16T13:16:00.002-05:00

I have to say that this was my second time reading this book and I found it just as delightful as the first time. I hope some of you other readers liked it also.

I remember being a little apprehensive at the outset the first time when I saw that the book was written in the format of letters. I wasn't sure how that would go. Then I thought, "well, I've read books written entirely in the form of emails and text messages, so I can probably handle letters." Once I really got started, the letter format turned out to be great. The voices of the different characters were very evident and I really started to feel like I knew these people. There is something so personal about writing letters. Except for missionaries writing home (and who knows if they write letters anymore now that they can email?) and the occasional thank-you note, letter-writing seems to be a lost art.

I think the characters are so wonderful and vivid. I love Juliet's spirit and how she seems to be so hopelessly prone to trouble: throwing books and teapots at people, somehow breaking Sidney's leg, breaking china... Isola, Amelia, Eben, and even Elizabeth, who we never met but is such a central figure in the book - they're all great. I'm adding Dawsey Adams to my list of literary crushes. Quiet, hardworking, loves to read, saves mementos, unfailingly loyal...it all adds up. I think his reluctance to tell Juliet of his feelings has less to do with his own insecurities and lack of experience with relationships and more to do with a misunderstanding of her feelings. I think he sees Juliet with Mark or Sidney and doesn't want to get in the way of her happiness, thinking that she may be in love with either of those men. Very considerate of him to not want to burden her more or possibly keep her from her desires, even though he is miserable.

I was also impressed with the portrayal of Christian's character. It's so easy to paint a picture of any World War II-era German in a negative light. Hitler was a monster. He made his followers do terrible things. That does not necessarily mean that everyone who was a soldier then was a bad person or even that they believed in Hitler's cause. Without having proof (I bet it's out there somewhere though), I can only speculate that there were men and women who were simply following orders, doing so in fear of repercussions for disobedience. (Actually, there is a man in our church ward here who was a member of Hitler's youth program, simply because he had no other choice. Very interesting story. But I digress.) Much like the young women mentioned in the novel who took up with soldiers as a means to an end, a way to provide for their families when times were so desperate. Anyway, I liked how some of the Islanders developed relationships, even friendships, with some of the occupying soldiers. Christian in particular is portrayed as being kind, thoughtful, and willing to help the ordinary Guernsey citizens when he was able to do so. The cemetery groundskeeper, when talking to Juliet, shared accounts not only of Christian being kind and helpful but also of other soldiers dropping potatoes, oranges, and coal off the backs of trucks and even procuring medicine for the sick. It's nice to read accounts that the German soldiers weren't just machines, but human beings with feelings and families and the like.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this book. Can't wait to hear what you thought of it.

Book for February

2011-01-28T17:09:00.002-05:00

For the month of February, we're reading:

"The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.

Cheers! (Thanks Carly for the suggestion)

Anyone Out There?

2011-01-19T14:12:00.002-05:00

Hey all.

I know we have all been on a hiatus for a while. I'm just wondering if anyone is still interested in participating in this reading group. There are so many great books we can read and discuss! I realize that we all are busy; perhaps we could find a way to share the burden (if that's what it is) and each take a turn in selecting the books we read, so that the decision isn't always on Sarah. Just a thought.

Does anyone even ever check this blog anymore?

January/February book

2010-01-11T11:09:00.000-05:00

Is it too late in January to assign a book? We can do this book for the months of January/February, if we want. Opinions?

Book is: Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swensen Mystery, Book 1) by Joanne Fluke.

It looks cute and not a long, heavy read. Just what I need, since I feel marred in baby/delivery books. So fun for me :)

Paper Bag Christmas Link

2009-12-03T12:48:00.003-05:00

The guy who wrote The Paper Bag Christmas is a brother-in-law to a girl in my ward. He shared this link with us to facilitate discussion after reading the book.

http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/books_9781599950730_ReadingGroupGuide.htm

Book for December

2009-11-18T14:34:00.004-05:00

If anyone wants to get a jump on December's book, it will be:
The Paper Bag Christmas by Kevin Alan Milne

(Nobody's read it, have they?)

Prayers for Sale

2009-11-18T14:15:00.003-05:00

Anyone else finished reading Prayers for Sale?

I loved it. When I read the preview in the jacket cover, I thought "hmm, not really my type of book." Ha, I was wrong. Shows you not to judge a book by its cover, yes? I'm recommending this book to everyone.

*Mild spoilers*

First, I loved the characters that Dallas created. They felt real to me and their struggles and emotions felt real, too. The way she wrote the book, with all her knowledge of mining and the regional dialect was fantastic. I couldn't help but root for Hennie and want her to get her 'happy ending'. I definitely cried when she told the story about Billy and Sarah ... and I definitely cheered when she accepted Tom's marriage proposal. I loved Hennie's wit and sense of fairness. She's my kind of lady!

I thought a book where one woman just tells a bunch of stories would be kind of random... kind of like Cats, where there's just some random songs and no real storyline... but I was wrong. The stories blended well together to tell the story of Hennie's life. The way she wanted some of her stories and wisdom to live on when she was gone was great. Isn't that the way it should be? People of an older generation should tell stories, re-count their history to those of a younger generation. I know my family spent hours with my grandpa in his last few years, recording all his stories of WW2 and the Great Depression. If stories aren't preserved, then when that generation of people dies, the stories and history go with them. I love that this book made that point (subtly).

Aaaah, so many good things. I really enjoyed this book. I'm certainly glad it was recommended to me. Anyone else have any thoughts? I know there's more I wanted to say, but my brain seems to be malfunctioning...

November's book

2009-10-29T11:25:00.002-04:00

Thanks for all the comments. Since no one has read it, we're going with Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas. A lady in my ward loved it, so hopefully it's good!

Book for November??

2009-10-22T16:04:00.002-04:00

Yes, once again I have dropped the ball. Given that it's October 21st, I think we should skip October and just pick a book for November. And once again, I am asking for suggestions. Anyone got any? I heard Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas was good... anyone read that one?

Dreamhunter and Dreamquake

2009-09-11T18:35:00.004-04:00

I finished Dreamhunter and the sequel to it, Dreamquake, almost two weeks ago. Let's see what I can remember. Not that I ever have anything really insightful to say.

My first impression of Dreamhunter was that it was a little hard to understand. I truly was confused at the beginning because I didn't feel like I knew what the author was talking about. I wanted a glossary of terms to explain everything that I didn't fully grasp on my own. A glossary does appear at the end of Dreamquake, so perhaps I'm not the only one who felt that way! Even so, the story was intriguing enough to keep me reading. It got easier to understand, and I thought that book 2 was even better than the first one. I definitely recommend reading Dreamquake afterwards to fully understand the storyline. (You'll want to anyway, just to see what happens!) It definitely ties up all the loose ends.

I thought the characters were really well-written. You definitely got a sense of their personalities, particularly Laura, Rose, and Chorley. Tziga and Grace seemed to me a bit more mysterious, and perhaps that was the intent, since those two are the most famous dreamhunters. And I thought "the Place" was great. Although I still sometimes wonder about dreams outside of "the Place." It's mentioned that Laura has regular dreams. Do other people as well? I'm assuming they do and that the main difference between regular dreams and those caught in "the Place" is the ability to share them. It must be similar to watching a movie only while you're asleep. So a dream palace or opera would be similar to going to a movie theater only you have a bed to sleep in, and instead of a big screen there's just another person on another bed projecting the "movie." Isn't that a compelling idea? To be able to dream something that originated with someone else? I'm sure almost everyone has had a dream that they tell other people about. What if you could show them the dream? I think that would be pretty neat. On the other hand, I've had a few that I hope no one finds out about too!

I'm not sure that there is much more I can say without spoilers, particularly for Dreamquake. So if you haven't read them, I suggest you stop here.

****Spoiler alert****

You knew that something was up when Tziga was acting so strangely and trying to make sure that Laura remembered the songs he had taught her from her a young age. So when he disappeared and she was left on her own to figure them out, I wondered if she would be able to do it. Laura is more enterprising than I initially thought, so I was a little surprised when she went to Aunt Marta for help learning the songs instead of just trying to make a small living as a dreamhunter. Her tendency to have nightmares probably discouraged that a little bit, though. After realizing how determined a person she was, I wasn't surprised when she found the note from her father and decided to actually try to follow the request he made of her.

The Sandman, Nown, is one of my favorite parts of the book. I love the idea of how he is made and how he can be changed by just a letter - take away the first N and he becomes free, OWN; take away the W and he becomes NON and stops existing. And I liked the idea of how he was tied to her family, that other versions of him had existed to help other members of her family, and how he seems to evolve with each version of himself.

As for Dreamquake, I was surprised that "the Place" was a Nown all on it's own. I was even more surprised that it was created by Laura's son, Lazarus, and that all of the dreams stemmed from him. It had been mentioned in Dreamhunter and throughout Dreamquake that the dreams seemed to be taking place in the future. But in reality, they were taking place in the past. Confusing, huh? How strange it must have been for Laura to meet her yet-to-be-born son when he was an adult and she had, in his experience, already passed away. The magic of "the Place" covered a lot of things!

I really loved the ending of the duet. I thought the author did a great job illustrating how our actions don't just affect us but have a ripple effect in so many directions. Lazarus's choices changed the way his mother's and grandfather's lives turned out (along with everyone else who lived in that world); Laura's choices changed the lives of everyone in her present and, eventually, future when she erased "the Place." We can't change what happened in the past like Lazarus does, but our choices can make a difference in our own futures and in the lives of the people around us. Laura's choice to get rid of the Place even changed Lazarus's life. I thought the ending was really well done. And, while I always had a suspicion that Sandy didn't die and was simply being help captive by Cas Doran and his henchmen, I was relieved when he did turn out to be alive and could be with Laura.

Okay, this was a much longer post than I had anticipated. Hopefully someone else will have read both books. I'd like to know what other people thought!

September's book assingment

2009-08-26T12:22:00.002-04:00

Alright we're going with Carly's suggestion. We'll be reading Dreamhunter by Elizabeth Knox. It's a 2-book series. The second book is Dreamquake. They both come recommended by Stephenie Meyer, so they must be good :)

And thanks everyone for the well-wishes!

September book?

2009-08-19T16:41:00.002-04:00

First of all, let me apologize for totally dropping the ball on picking a book for August. Things have been so crazy at our house, I barely have time to recognize that days are flying by on the calendar. Second, I have good news to share... yes, it's what you're all thinking... I'm pregnant! YEA! However, I have been so sick, it's been a nightmare. I haven't read anything in weeks, I'm just too sick, so I never got around to picking a book... and then I realized that August is already more that half gone. My bad.

So... anyone have any suggestions for September? I'm hoping that by the time September rolls around, I will feel well enough to start reading again and I can participate. I'm eagerly anticipating some books that will be released in September - Forest Born, Catching Fire, just to name a few, so I really need to get feeling better so I can read them :)

Put any suggestions in the comments, then we can pick one.

The Zoo Keeper's Wife; A review by a little guy

2009-07-17T12:26:00.003-04:00

To begin with I am Miriam and this is my first review and first time reading the book in the correct month. I love reading non-fiction, fiction, textbooks and well most things. I am glad I read this book but it took me a long 2 1/2 weeks to do it.

I don’t know if anyone else experienced this but I found the flow of the story rather choppy. I think it was a great idea to write about Antonina Zabinskis her story is amazing and her courage was everlasting, but it could have been written better. (Less choppy and jumping around to so many different people) I obviously did not like the author’s style of writing and think she did a bit too much name dropping. The people she kept bringing up in the story seemed to have some connection with fame. This annoyed me because it made it sound like the Zabinskis were only saving famous people. I know many like to hear about the rich, famous and well known in history but I like to hear the history of the little people too. I realize that these famous people did randomly pop up in the Zabinskis lives I just don’t think she needed to elaborate (for an entire chapter) on why these people they were saving were famous and well known in the world. It took away from the flow of the story and made me put the book down quite a bit. I think she should have focused more on Antonina, Jan and Rys, the book is after all named for Antonina. However I did love the research the author did.

Diane Ackerman obviously did a lot of research. You see it everywhere in the book. This made me respect her knowledge and continue reading. I loved the tidbit from Herodotus (the first historian ever) on page 81 where he was quoted about the Tarpan horses. This put the significance of the extinct horses into perspective for me. It showed me that these horses had been around for a LONG time and now they were not. This showed the connection with the high ranking Nazi who allowed the continuation of the zoo specifically because of these horses which in turn allowed the zoo to save the people. While I loved this information I think it took away from the story telling aspect. I think books should be stories. I know there is a need for reference books but they are so much easier to read and understand when told as a story.

I felt the first ¾ of the book was choppy but her last section which I like to consider her conclusion finally started to flow. Those last 80 pages go by quickly because you can see she is finally getting somewhere with the Sabinskis. I loved that she finally started to actually analyze what she was writing about Antonina. She had previously been throwing facts out there that she had read from Antonina and others. It felt like reading a textbook but she finally started to show us Antonina. A part I loved was on page 209 it said:

“…Antonina [believed] in living as joyously as possible given the circumstances, while staying Vigilante.”

I definitely saw this. She went through so much but she never stopped saving people. She risked her life so many times for others. It was amazing. After reading so many WWII stories I have never seen anyone remain so joyous and positive. I started to ponder this statement. I feel it was rather profound and the conclusion I came up with was that she was doing everything in her power to save everyone! She never held back never said no never questioned her husband’s motives. She could remain joyous with a happy conscious because she gave everything she had. She never sat back and let people die. So many sat back during this war and let others die and felt guilty about it because they knew it wasn’t right. She had no need for quilt because she gave her all. I loved that about Antonina. Some might feel it was horrible of her to feel joy and be happy during this depressing time but she earned the right to feel some joy by saving so many.

All in all I way so glad I read this book. Yes it could have been written better but this was one story that really needed to be told and read. Thanks for reading this and feel free to disagree and write about it. All thoughts on this book would be great!

Miriam

P.S there are obviously a million things to be said about this book so feel free ok! There were other things I liked and disliked but I tried to keep it small so others could write too. Oh and I previously wrote rather negative review of this book on my blog but wrote a more mild one here because reviews should be mild right?

Some recent readings...

2009-07-16T12:01:00.002-04:00

I just stumbled upon a fun series that I thought I'd share. The series is called Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I've only read the first book (there are 5), but I really liked it. I used to love learning about mythology in school, so this was right up my alley! I know we all mentioned how we didn't like the mythology element in Ever, but this is good mythology!
In a way the series is similar to Harry Potter, in that it's a young boy who finds out he's not who he thought he was. There's a whole other world hidden in our world. I just really thought the writing was well done, funny, and clever.
Also, I read the new Shannon Hale book, The Actor and the Housewife. Did anyone else read it? I thought it was good, but different than what I was expecting. I definitily was not expecting to be sobbing through a good portion of the book! I think overall I liked it, but it probably isn't my favorite Shannon Hale book.
Otherwise I've been chugging along through The Zookeeper's Wife. I think I need to renew it again at the library come to think of it....
Oh, and I saw the new Harry Potter last night!!!!!!!!!!! I loved it! I know that's not a book, but, oh well!
So, that's all, I just had some book related thoughts I'd share! Hope you all have a great weekend!

Ever

2009-07-06T09:18:00.003-04:00

Did anyone else finish reading Ever?

I was expecting to like it, since I love Ella Enchanted... and I didn't. I didn't like it. In fact, I was disappointed. I thought the characters weren't very well developed, so I found that I didn't really care that much about them. I know it's a fairy tale, but the whole love-at-first-sight thing felt very thin to me. Some parts were imaginative, but other parts I felt were just weird (the whole underworld people that turn into birds or whatever? Weird...) I know all books can't end happily ever after, but I hated the ending, how she was "sacrificed" anyways, then whisked away to live "happily-ever-after" leaving her family in mourning. I didn't like their blind devotion to Admat (or whatever his name was, sorry I don't have the book in front of me) or how she kept trying to find him, even after she became a goddess herself.

I don't know, maybe I was too harsh on the book... but I'm not a fan. Anyone else have any thoughts? Feel free to disagree with me :)

The Lace Reader

2009-06-12T09:45:00.004-04:00

I finished the book a few days ago, and have been trying to think of something to say... and I know some of you have been having the same difficulty. I did like the book - I think she's a very creative story-teller. Loved how Salem had modern witches - thought that was fabulously ironic. Obviously, I didn't appreciate the language. I knew from reading a couple reviews that the ending was going to be a shocker - so I sort of prepared myself. I wasn't all that shocked to find out that Towner was Lyndley (or Lyndley was Towner... or whatever...) I think I (sort of) saw it coming (since I was waiting for something shocking). Still, I wasn't sure I really understood what happened. I think reading it through a second time would be useful, and I think I might do that, before the sequel comes out (this fall, I think I heard??)

So I went to the book's website (just like you did Carly) to see if I could find some answers... and yeah, there was nothing helpful. So I went digging around some other sights to see if others were talking about the book, and I found this site:
http://bookchatcentral.yuku.com/topic/1345/t/THE-LACE-READER-Sept-08-SPOILERS.html?page=1

I read all 3 pages of comments, and some of them were helpful in figuring what exactly happened. This comment in particular was helpful, so I'm quoting right from the website:


09/27/08 02:09 PM BCC Bookaholic	Some random reactions to comments in this thread... Re: Jack raping Towner - on one level, I saw it as Jack's final closure. He is finally forced to accept that like it or not, it is over, and he has to move on. He is very remorseful, and I don't see what he did as an act of aggression, but more of desperation, trying to make things the way they were. And, since he was drunk, he probably bought into the possibility of being able to fix things that way more than he would have in a sober state. Also, as Jill already said, I thought the chapter showed Towner's way of disassociating herself from what was happening to her - it shows us what she must have done, aside from being "Lyndley," to survive what her father was doing to her. I didn't see the chapter as unnecessary; in fact, for me, it was pivitol, because the end of that chapter was where I finally felt certain that I knew what was going on - that there was no Lyndley and that she was actually Towner. I had wondered earlier about the possibility when Jack didn't tell May that Lyndley had jumped in the water and drowned, and this clinched it for me. At the end of the chapter he says that he can't believe he raped her, especially knowing the history with Cal Boynton - which would indicate that Cal was actually abusing Towner, not Lyndley. Also, he says that he had jumped into the water trying to save Towner - again, no mention of Lyndley. I think Rafferty knew some of what was going on with Towner - like the fact that she believed her twin was alive and the suicide attempt - but I'm not sure that he knows everything. For instance, why does he say that Towner was Eva's grandniece (p. 285), when really, if Eva is Emma's mother, Eva is Towner's grandmother? Seems that Eva never filled him in on the real family tree? And wouldn't he have done the research on sexual abuse in children earlier than at the end of the story had he really known what Cal had done? Dirty family secret that nobody discussed - clearly, or he wouldn't have been so worshipped by his Calvinists. Re: Eva and having to kill herself to set Towner free: someone else mentioned that this was the only way she saw to get Towner back to Salem to deal with reality. Her note at the end says that it was the only way she could see to save Towner from her downward spiral, so she would take her place; i.e. she would die so that Towner could live, because she felt that otherwise, Towner was going to eventually completely self-destruct. Why NOW - well, she'd already attempted suicide, invented Lyndley, and at the point when Eva killed herself, was at an impasse in therapy. She wasn't getting better. She'd run from what had happened with Cal and her suicide attempt, had had therapy which included electroshock treatments and supposed memory loss, and still believed in the existence of Lyndley. She just wasn't getting better, and Eva could see that. Towner chose to be called Towner instead of Sophya as a result of her abuse. She says the way Cal says it reminds her of why she had to change it - he said it, "sibilant, snakelike. Sophya was a name that could be whispered in the night. Real quiet, so that no one else could hear it. Quiet enough so it didn't even wake my mother" (p. 371). I agree with what others say about why nobody clues Towner in - they surely saw her as very fragile. Nobody wants to tell the crazy girl that she's crazy, that her sister isn't real. In Towner's version of events, May and Eva know what Lyndley is - her way of coping with her abuse - what would happen if she was forced to look that in the face? But they do try to help her. May tries to reason with her sister Emma and gets told that she's twisted and perverted (p. 241-242). So she tries to take custody. When Eva realizes that not only is Towner being abused, but that she has "resurrected" (for lack of a better word) her twin to deal with it, she sends Towner to therapy, but it doesn't take (p. 268). She's supposed to talk about her sister, but she refuses. May's comment to Towner that she couldn't have loved her more if she'd been her own child - her final attempt to try to get through to Towner. I think that Towner knows on some level that Lyndley isn't real, that her father is really Cal, and that he did those horrible things to her - otherwise, she wouldn't have started to hyperventilate and felt the need to take her emergency pill. I think she just didn't want to accept it. It reminded me of the end of The Sixth Sense, when Bruce Willis's character finally realizes what he would have known all along if he'd been paying attention to the clues - he's dead - but he wasn't ready / didn't want to see it. As for Towner not having an emotional compass - not sure exactly what you mean, Jen. I think that in the final scenes, she's certainly getting her bearings. She has the recurring dream / vision of Cal being torn apart by dogs for what he's done to her mother and "Lyndley," and she always wants him dead in this scenario until, when it is finally happening, she considers her unborn half-sister and Angela and Cal's love for each other. In the end she doesn't allow Cal to be torn apart, although he is badly injured and deserves it considering what he's done. To me, this shows that she is coming to grips with what has happened in her life and is able to start letting it go. She doesn't forgive him, but she doesn't become a part of his brand of evil, either. This bit: "My twin sister, Lyndley, said she couldn't read lace, but I never believed her. The last time we tried, she saw the same thing I saw in the pattern, and what we saw that night led her to the choices that eventually killed her. When Lyndley died, I resolved never to look at a piece of lace again". I think this is when she saw Emma badly beaten. The "Towner" part of her wanted to go with Jack; "Lyndley" wanted to save her mother, and so she went back to her family instead. I think Towner believed that Lyndley killed herself as a result of what had happened to her mother and her (Lyndley's) continual abuse at the hands of her father after going back. Vanessa

So again, not my thoughts - this Vanessa obviously understood the book a lot more than I did. But I agree with what she said, and think it sheds some light on the plot (since yes, it was hard to follow). Now, having read these thoughts... any insights from you guys who have read it?

June & July's book

2009-06-01T13:20:00.003-04:00

For the month of June we will be reading Ever by Gail Carson Levine. I suppose it would qualify as "light" reading -- and it looks really good. Levine wrote one of my all-time favorite books (Ella Enchanted) so I am definitely looking forward to reading another one of her books.

I figured as long as I was posting, I might as well mention what we'll reading for July. We're going to do The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman. It's a real-life story from WW2 - see link here - it looks very interesting.

If anyone has a book they are dying to read, feel free to make a suggestion. Happy reading!!

A book for June?

2009-05-27T16:04:00.003-04:00

Is anyone else wondering what's going on in the universe that is making life so crazy? Some kind of rip in the space-time continuum? (yes, I finally saw Star Trek :) I'm still reading The Lace Reader ... so I'm asking ... do we want a new book for June? Something light and fluffy? Something meaty? Thoughts from you readers?

May's book

2009-04-27T11:04:00.004-04:00

For the month of May, we're going to be reading:
The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry

A Thousand Splendid Suns

2009-04-10T10:48:00.002-04:00

Has anyone else finished reading A Thousand Splendid Suns?

I finished it yesterday afternoon, and thoughts have been swirling around in my head since then... but I can't seem to form them into something coherent. The book was heart-wrenching and heart-warming, all at the same time. Kudos to the author for writing such a spell-binding story.

I sat on my porch yesterday after I finished reading it... and thought about the book... and life. It was one of those soul-searching moments, a time for real reflection. I was thinking about how lucky I was that I could sit on my porch, safe and sound, watching spring valiantly try to take over upstate New York.

You know, we hear all the time the phrase "glad to be an American." But those were my thoughts as I read the book. I am grateful to be an American... as corny as it may sound. My 4 months spent in China really opened my eyes to how others in the world live... and how good I really have it. This book elicited the same strong emotions.

I've never feared for my life. I've never been beaten. I haven't lost all my family members; everyone dear to me. I've never lost my home, my children (not that I have any...) or anything like that. I've never been that hungry. I joke with Cory all the time that I'm so hungry that I might starve to death before he comes to get me for lunch... but we both know it's not even close to being true.

I know A Thousand Splendid Suns is a work of fiction... that Mariam and Laila are fictional characters. But all the things that happen in the book have most certainly happened to someone. Someone real. Daughters are married off, wives are beaten, womens' rights are nonexistent, war is tearing that region apart (and has been raging for years). I don't pretend to understand what factions are fighting with each other - I didn't even follow it that well in the book - but the emotion rings loud and clear.

Of course, I cried through the end of the book. Cried for Mariam, cried for Tariq, cried for Laila, cried when she read Jahil's letter. And yet, I felt at peace with the ending. I liked seeing Laila & Tariq return to Kabul and renovate the orphanage, doing their part to rebuild their war-torn nation.

I really liked the book... sad as it was. I look forward to discussing it more with you guys. Anyone have any thoughts?

The Girl Who Could Fly

2009-03-18T11:34:00.002-04:00

Well, I totally read the books in the wrong order. I checked out both A Thousand Splendid Suns and The Girl Who Could Fly from the library. I was intending to read Suns first, but I grabbed the wrong book in my haste to be on time for work. I started reading Girl at lunch, and I was hooked. Hooked I tell you. It's so good. Must keep reading... must know what happens!

Stephenie Meyer said on her website: "It's the oddest/sweetest mix of Little House on the Prairie and X-Men. I was smiling the whole time (except for the part where I cried)." Amen Stephenie, amen. It is the cutest mix! I grew up reading Little House on the Prairie and I'm also in love with X-Men. This was the perfect book! For someone who considers herself not a "fan" of fantasy, I sure enjoyed the book! (I may have to re-think my stance on fantasy :)

I don't want to ruin it for those who haven't read it, but the ending is sooo good. It's not what you expect -- and that makes it even better. I found the book to be enthralling. I can see why Stephenie likes it so much. It's her kind of book. The writing isn't the best I've ever read, but it's a great story. Very imaginative, good characters, twists around every turn and a heart-warming ending. My kind of book, too. I loved it and whole-heartedly recommend it!

The Shack

2009-03-10T13:38:00.003-04:00

I finished The Shack weeks ago, but I haven't had the chance to post anything, due to Cory always hogging our one computer. So, here it goes. I liked it. I don't agree with everything that was written, but I do agree with the overall theme (like the rest of you have mentioned) that God loves us and never leaves us. Never.

I'd like to discuss this with some detail, so if you haven't read the book, now would be a good time to stop reading this post.

Spoilers below...

And yes, I'll be coming from my LDS viewpoint... and I should preface this by saying that my current calling at church is to teach the 'Gospel Essentials/Principles' class. I'm teaching new members, investigators, and people who wander in off the streets (literally). It's a challenging and awesome calling, since I have to be on my toes at all times -- and class is never boring.

This book has been on and off various best-seller lists. I know it made an appearance on USA Today's Top 10 list, but I don't know how long it was there. And then there's the fact that we were all on waiting lists to receive this book from our local libraries. Obviously, this book is gaining in popularity, and many people want to read it. What I find most interesting about this is the conclusion I draw from the book's popularity. People want religion. People want to read about and learn about God. People want to know that God loves us, His children. Obviously (even though we're living in a time of great growth of the LDS church) people are starved for religion.

I was a bit surprised by how much of the book I agreed with. The author had many truths in the book ... and then he had some things that I don't agree with. I want to talk about some of these parts and get others' opinions.

On page 63, Mack talks about how he had been taught in seminary that God had "stopped any overt communication with moderns." I think this is one of the saddest commentaries of modern life -- that people cannot accept that God still talks to His children. Somehow, the belief has taken hold that the only way God speaks is through the Bible. I see this time and time again, as people in my Sunday school class tell me they believe God no longer directs His children -- and in turn, many believe this means God no longer cares for His children. How fortunate for me to know differently! God does speak to us through a living prophet. And he cares immensely about what happens to His children. At least the book was good about making the point that God does care. Deeply. More than we really can understand.

I also thought it was interesting when they talked about us taking care of this earth we live on. On page 145 Jesus says "humans, who have been given the task to lovingly steer the world, instead plunder her with no consideration, other than for their own immediate needs." Ha, how true this is. Humans are the crowning glory of God's creation, and we were given domain over this earth. I'm not one that is getting caught up in the whole 'global warming crisis' but I do believe we could all do a better job with our stewardship over this earth. I believe we will be held accountable.

I also liked how the book tried to teach that Jesus chose the "way of the cross" so "mercy triumphs over justice because of love." (page 165) Though this doesn't nearly cover the whole scope of the Atonement as we understand it... still, it scratches the surface. The Atonement is, in part, a way for us to overcome our sins. I wouldn't say that mercy "triumphs" over justice - rather that Christ fulfilled justice's demands, allowing us to be shown mercy. It all centers around Christ as our Savior. The book tried to show that, but as the author doesn't have a full understanding of the Atonement, he didn't quite get it all.

This one I found interesting - on page 178 Mack and Jesus were talking about what heaven would look like - and Jesus says heaven is a "cleansing of this universe." We've been taught that the Celestial kingdom will actually be here on earth, after the earth is cleansed. I've always found this to be such an interesting concept, and I was frankly surprised to find it in this book. I agree, but I thought this was an LDS belief. I wasn't aware other people thought similarly.

And one more - on page 188 God says "just because I work incredible good out of unspeakable tragedies doesn't mean I orchestrated the tragedies. Don't ever assume that my using something means I caused it or that I need it to accomplish my purposes." Amen. I think one of the biggest misunderstandings people (in general) have about God is that He causes suffering. Bad things happen in peoples' lives (like children being kidnapped, a relative dying, health problems, etc) and people tend to blame God for their suffering. What people don't understand (and what I believe) is that God does not cause suffering (well, he can punish us, but that's a different subject). I believe God grieves when we grieve. Consequences (both good and bad) are the nature of living on this earth; the nature of agency. Sometimes we make poor choices and bring things upon ourselves - and sometimes we are affected by someone else's agency (like Mack, having his daughter kidnapped). But God doesn't orchestrate these things to make us suffer - they are all consequences to choices that we (humans) make here on this earth.

There were some things that I didn't agree with - namely, the way the Godhead was portrayed. But overall, I found there was a lot of truth in this book. It had some parts I disagree with, and it was lacking in some parts, but it did have some good things to say. It did make me appreciate (all the more) my membership in the true church. It made me appreciate that I have the answers to all the questions Mack was asking. I know I have a long way to go, but I know where to go when I lack answers, and that makes me very, very grateful.

Oh, and did anyone else just want to wrap up a send-along card and a Book of Mormon for the author?

Interview with a Vampire

2009-02-25T10:02:00.005-05:00

Ok, sorry, I just couldn't resist the play on words with the title :) It's more like: Interview with a Vampire ... Author. LOL.

It's an interview with Stephenie Meyer, and it's worth reading. It's got fresh material, instead of just recycling what Steph's said in the past. A good reason to actually read Vogue.

Link here

Books for March & April

2009-02-23T08:53:00.004-05:00

I know some of us are still reading The Shack (including me) but I thought I'd post the books for March and April, so people can get themselves on the library waiting lists (assuming, of course, that your library has a waiting list for these books...)

For March, we're going to be reading A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.
For April, we're going to be reading The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester.

I don't anticipate there being a wait for A Thousand Splendid Suns, but you never know. I know some of us are already on the waiting list for The Girl Who Could Fly, so the rest of you can check it out and see if you need to get yourself on the waiting list.

These are just general timeframes. If you find yourself with The Girl Who Could Fly sometime in March, don't let that stop you from reading it :)

The Shack

2009-02-19T00:08:00.004-05:00

I finally finished reading The Shack, by William Paul Young. It took me longer to get through than I had anticipated. I also didn't like it as much as I thought I would. Perhaps I had elevated expectations due to all of the praise it has received; perhaps I'm just so used to being spiritually fed from the source of all truth that this book couldn't really hit the mark.

I don't want to say too much in case the rest of you haven't finished (or started) it yet. I did like the plot of the book: a man named Mack, whose youngest daughter was abducted and possibly murdered in an abandoned shack, receives a note purportedly from God inviting him to spend a weekend at that shack. What happens that weekend changes Mack forever.

It's a good storyline. My main problem with the book is theological. While I can understand the 'whys' behind some of the author's characterizations and the ways he presents some of the story, I disagree with parts of it. That's not to say that I found all of the book to be doctrinally false. There are parts that I do agree with from a theological standpoint.

What stands out to me the most is the idea that God never abandons us, even in our deepest, darkest moments of sorrow, pain, or hardship. He is always there; it remains for us to be able to recognize His presence and turn to Him for help. I think The Shack did a decent job of getting that point across. As I was in the midst of reading this book, I came across the text of an address given by Elder Jeffery R. Holland entitled Lessons from Liberty Jail. I think this address makes the same point as The Shack, but in a more concise and concrete way. Just a quick quote:

"...[Y]ou can have sacred, revelatory, profoundly instructive experience with the Lord in any situation you are in. Indeed, let me say that even a little stronger: You can have sacred, revelatory, profoundly instructive experience with the Lord in the most miserable experiences of your life—in the worst settings, while enduring the most painful injustices, when facing the most insurmountable odds and opposition you have ever faced."

For the entire text of the address, click here.

There is no question that Mack went through what for him was a "prison-temple" experience, similar in some ways to the experience of Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail as described by Elder Holland. I think that, for those people who may be unfamiliar with the idea of God being one who truly knows us as individuals and loves each of us immeasureably, this book can be eye-opening and truly moving.

I hope someone else has read it or is currently reading it. I'd be interested in discussing The Shack on a more in-depth level, and I'd love to know what the rest of you thought about it.

A Year Down Yonder

2009-02-04T00:46:00.003-05:00

I finished this book a week ago and thought I'd better finally get around to posting something about it. It was a really quick read. I didn't notice until I got home from the library that it is a sequel to another book, even though it says so right on the cover. (When you go to the library with three kids, the oldest age 4, you don't have much of an opportunity to really look at some things. The title I was looking for was there, I grabbed it, and off we went to the children's section.) You definitely don't need to have read the other book (titled A Long Way From Chicago) in order to understand what's going on, but I'll probably look for it when I go back to the library.

Anyway, to get right to the point, I liked A Year Down Yonder. It was funny! Really, it gave me the best laugh I've had from a book in a few months. I got a good laugh out of the valentines, but Maxine and the snake was hilarious! In fact, I kept snickering about it for a good five minutes after I put the book down!

Grandma is definitely a character, and my favorite in the book. Hard-working, enterprising, caring and understanding underneath her crusty exterior, and a jokester! (Not very many grandmothers would spike the punch at a chapter meeting of the DAR!) I was pleased to see her relationship with Mary Alice develop into one of mutual affection and respect.

It seems like so many of the books that are lauded by critics and given awards are depressing. So it was a pleasant surprise for me to find a critically-acclaimed story to be so amusing. I generally like the Newbery books, but this one was definitely deserving of the award.

Great pick, Sarah!

A book with a powerful message

2009-01-27T01:30:00.005-05:00

(I hope its ok I post here, though it may be a bit out of format, but was just really impressed by this book and wanted to get word out.)

I recently read a book with a powerful message and one that grabs a person by the heart. Whether you are parent or not, Jenny McCarthy's new book Mother Warriors: A Nation of Parents Healing Autism Against All Odds (Sept. 2008) talks about the serious nature of autism and how people and open-minded doctors are finding ways to treat and in some cases cure this 'incurable' disease that is becoming more and more prevalent in America and across the world. Mother Warriors talks not only about McCarthy's battle with her own son's autism, but her argument on some of the causes behind autism (namely childhood immunizations), independent medical organizations that are working to cure it (such as DAN!, e.g. Defeat Autism Now!), and her fight against the conservative and unresponsive American Association of Pediatrics about the causes of autism. The book also includes the stories of other parents (in their own words) and their ups and downs in dealing with and treating autism. Overall, the book is a easy read, but one that pulls you right along. Its something you can't really put down because its such a captivating issue and battleground topic. Some will consider it controversal, since it doesn't speak highly of the conservative medical community, though it does praise progressive doctors, such as those at DAN!. It is a book that works to challenge the way you view the traditional medical profession and their response to autism. Before allying yourself with any school of thought on the reasons behind some causes of autism, its worth reading the book with an open mind (since this can be a personal and emotional issue). Anyhow, for me this was a great book and I hope you'll read it and pass it along to friends. Thanks, ZJ.

January's book #2

2009-01-20T15:29:00.003-05:00

Since it seems that some of us are going to have a long wait to get our hands on The Shack, I am proposing a book to read in the interim. That book is:
A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck

I just put a hold request for it at my local library, and I'm the only one on the list ... so I am hoping that the demand for this book isn't as great as The Shack ... let me know if y'all manage to get your hands on a copy. Thanks :)

Does anyone have it?

2009-01-15T14:55:00.002-05:00

Has anyone been able to get their hands on The Shack yet? I have it on hold from the library, but I'm not high up on the list (though higer than you, Carly). If we can't get it soon, we'll maybe just postpone it and pick something else ...

January's book

2009-01-05T08:53:00.003-05:00

Sheesh, can it really be January 2009? Where did all the time go?

Thanks to everyone who read Christmas Jars. I loved all the commentary! And yes, I totally think that it's awesome that the author himself wrote a comment on Carly's post. Totally awesome!

For the month of January, we're going to be reading:
The Shack, by William P. Young

I've been hearing some interesting things about this book ... and from what I've read about it, I think it will make a very good book club book - with some interesting topics for discussion. The author's website is: http://theshackbook.com/index.html if you want more info on him. Sounds like he had a very interesting childhood.

Thanks again everyone for making this little online book club a success. Happy 2009!

Christmas Jars

2008-12-31T01:20:00.003-05:00

Although the comments have said it was a quick read, it still took me longer to read than I care to admit! I have been so busy trying to get Christmas ready and doing the day to day mom stuff that by the time I had a spare moment to read it was late and I would read about 10 pages and fall asleep! But I so enjoyed it! I finished it on Christmas Adam (you know Adam came before Eve so it is the day before :)) And I, like Sarah, cried! I love a good read that I am not expecting the end and it makes me tear up. I loved that for Hope it came full circle, starting with an abandonded baby that was found and taken in, loved and then found herself alone again on Christmas Eve only to have her Mom find her and the cycle repeats. (Oh and here is a plug for family traditions that don't die, then people KNOW where to find you!) I felt inspired after reading this and wanted to start my own Christmas Jar, but plastic money doesn't work to put into a jar....and we are also living the poor student life and so this year opted to give a toy to Toys4Tots. I know that it wasn't much, but my 2 year old picked out a toy that she would want and then we took it to a drop off spot, I tried to explain to her what it meant, but I am sure she didn't really understnad, but after reading this book I felt that children take in more than we give them credit for. They know when someone is in need, even if they cannot see it, they sense it. So thanks for chosing this book, it truly helped me to get into the Christmas spirit. And I thought it was amazing that the author commented on the blog--woohoo!!! :)

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T17:47:00.003-05:00

Thought I'd take a minute and share a thought or two about Christmas Jars. I've read it a couple of times; it's such a quick read and always enjoyable and inspiring, like Sarah noted.

I love the progression of the story. How it starts with an abandoned baby and ends with a reunion, with Hope (both as the girl and otherwise) centering the story. I love how the Maxwell family started the tradition of the jar as a way to save money for Christmas gifts for their own family and how the jar evolved into a way to help others in need, be it financial, emotional, or however. And I love how it comes full circle. The Maxwell's didn't give their jars away with any desire for recognition or something in return, and they never imagined that it would be a tradition adopted by those they helped. But they did receive something in return, long before the jars found their way back. The true spirit of Christmas, a joy of giving, a focus on something other than themselves.

I think my favorite part of the book is that the jars helped people think about Christmas every single day throughout the year. So often the entire reason for Christmas is lost with the commercialization, the rush, the spending frenzy. It's easy to forget the reason. A perfect baby, born in unfavorable circumstances and laid in a manger, who brought Hope, Light, and Life with his birth.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Jars

2008-12-23T08:46:00.003-05:00

I finished the book Christmas Jars. Seriously, I think it only took me a few hours. Cory went outside to shovel us out of the mounds of snow, and I had finished a little more than half the book by the time he was done shoveling. Of course, he loves to shovel and spends more time that the average person ... but still ... it's definitely a quick read.

Anyways, I digress. What an awesome book to read right before Christmas! It was so uplifting! Of course, I cried through the last 1/3 of the book, but it was so good. And so inspiring.

I was thinking maybe Cory & I could adopt the tradition of doing our own Christmas jar. Then, practical me, I realized we never have cash - so I would never have any change. In a world of plastic, I never carry cash. So doing a 'Christmas Jar' isn't really feasible for us.

Then I got to thinking ... we could do something else, similar to a Christmas jar. I remember years ago, my dad had just been laid off his job (right before Christmas, too). Things were tough - we went to the Bishop's storehouse to get some food and Christmas presents weren't happening that year. Anyways, long story made short - some boxes filled with food and presents appeared on our doorstep one night. There was a couple of presents for all us kids (I got the most beautiful little necklace) and lots of food. It was the most wonderful thing! I was young at the time, but that feeling has stuck with me ever since that night. I remember standing there, looking at all the food and wearing my necklace, and I was so grateful.

And so, my point is, that while Cory & I aren't going to be able to do a 'Christmas jar' like was done in the book, it reminded me that we can bless others' lives in different ways. There's always a million different ways to 'give back' this holiday season - from Sub-for-Santas, to the Salvation Army kettle, to leaving a box of food on your neighbor's doorstep. While Cory & I are definitely living the 'poor college kids' lifestyle, we have much to be thankful for. This book reminded me of that, and I'm definitely recommending it to everyone I know.

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Kid-Safe Books...

2008-12-12T15:19:00.004-05:00

Hi, I'm Sarah's friend Brett, from NJ. This is my first time posting on here, and usually I'll stay more on topic, but I found something that I thought everyone here would be interested in, and while it's about media in general, it's definitely applicable to books. Sorry for the length, when I start typing, sometimes I can't stop. (P.S. I hope Sarah doesn't block me from posting any more as a result of this). ;-)

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Movie ratings drive me bonkers... as my wife Erin and I discuss movies and what is/will be appropriate for our children, we've got a hard and fast limit; no rated-R movies in our home, period. After that, things get a little hazy. The ratings system is just too vague.

How great of a movie is The Incredibles!?! It's PG because it's got some violence, but I personally wouldn't be concerned about a five or six year old watching it; on the other hand, have you ever seen Antz? Antz is also rated PG, but there are dozens of swear words in the movie. I certainly wouldn't want the same child who's just old enough to watch The Incredibles to also be watching Antz.

As for PG-13 movies, there are some that I would be fine with having an 11 or 12 year old watch with me, and then there are others that in my opinion deserved an R-rating and shouldn't be watched at all (while the kids are under my roof at least).

Having lived with this frustration for quite a while, and having discussed with Erin what we could possibly do, I think I may finally have an answer. I found a website today that is much more clear than the (lame) MPAA rating system, and certainly more specific. Please keep in mind that everything from here on is based solely on my brief review of the site as of finding it earlier today... by no means have I looked at every aspect of the site.

Common Sense Media

Pros for the site:

- The site has a solid list of movies with very specific age ratings (year by year). The Incredibles - deemed appropriate for kids 5+; Antz - deemed appropriate for kids 8+. And on top of the movie ratings, there are also ratings for TV Shows, books, websites, games, and music.

A search on J. K. Rowling books shows the following:

Books 1-3: Ages 9+
Books 4-5: Ages 10+
Book 6: Ages 11+
Book 7: Ages 12+
Tales of Beedle the Bard: Ages 10+
Fantastic Beasts/Quidditch Through the Ages: Ages 9+

I don't know if I'd put exactly those ages on each book (I haven't put quite that much thought into it), but that's pretty dang close and follows appropriately the increased intensity as the series progresses.

What about Twilight? Books 1-2 are a clear Age 13+, books 3-4 are an iffy Age 13+.

- The site also links in what it considers to be relevant news articles and includes advice for parents when dealing with kids and media. Each review also includes potential discussion points for parents and their kids based on messages the media seems to be sending.

- One of the other things I like about the site is that it's ultimately answerable to the public. The site has an investment in constant improvement, if they begin to let users down, users will go somewhere else. I believe that the monopolistic MPAA ratings system has outlived it's usefulness and it will be something like this site that will replace it.

- Each review has some detail, outlining language or violence or sexuality. I used to use Screenit.com for this, but the 'outlines' were just too descriptive. The outlines on this site are straightforward, but don't include enough detail to be offensive if you're looking at a questionable movie. In other words, I wouldn't have wanted my kids browsing Screenit.com, but I don't think I'd have a problem with them browsing this site.

- Finally, I think this site could potentially create excellent avenues of discussion between you and your child. If the child is coming to see you about each book they're reading and each movie they're seeing, you're much more in the loop, making it more likely that your kids won't accidentally see inappropriate material and more likely that if they do they'll be able to come talk to you about it. It may be tedious at times for them and for you, but to me it's a small price to pay to make sure I'm a solid component in my child's media consumption.

Cons for the site:

- The selection of reviews is relatively small. They've got all 4 Twilight books, but not Meyer's The Host (which by the way was also excellent). I'm sure you'll have more luck with more popular media while more obscure selections will probably prove less likely to be included (though hopefully that will become less and less of a problem as the site grows, and I noticed that you can request a specific review).

The media count based on my quick look today is as follows:

Movies: 3067
TV Shows: 1923
Books: 1486
Websites: 502
Games: 981
Music: 1035

- Also, obviously each child develops at different speeds and each child can appropriately cope with different subjects at different ages. That being said, the age ratings for the media on the site will have to be adjusted based on the child in question. It would be really awesome if the site gave an option to auto-adjust ratings; say I wanted to be more strict with my kids, I could theoretically enter my desired adjustment, 'add 2 years to each rating', and thus see the new age appropriateness for that specific child... just an idea, not something I've seen on the site (though I emailed them, making the suggestion).

- Finally, I can't seem to find the criteria used to select ratings (seems like it's only available for registered educators, a complaint I included in my email); this is one of my big complaints for the MPAA; the MPAA has vague explanations available, but to me it's not nearly enough. Hopefully user demand will push the site to publish its criteria for assigning age ratings. It may be that the only thing holding them back is legal issues; maybe they don't want someone else stealing their ratings formula and then starting up a competing site? Maybe they can copyright their method? Not sure.

Overall, I'm glad that I've found the site. I've added it to my personal links, and I hope that they continue to grow and improve so that I can start to rely on the ratings as Aeriana (my daughter - almost 1 year old) gets older. One final comment that probably goes without saying is that no ratings system will ever be able to replace an attentive parent. I would hope that no one would ever use this site as an end-all source of what's appropriate for their child. Nothing beats one-on-one discussions and attention for good parenting, but I'm all for getting a little help.

Book for December

2008-11-25T08:51:00.004-05:00

Well, as of right now, there are no comments on The Secret Life of Bees (including no comment from yours truly, though I did finish the book). I know that the holiday season gets really busy for everyone, but we're still going to do a book for the month of December, albeit a short and easy read. The book is:
Christmas Jars by Jason F Wright

If you read The Secret Life of Bees (either this time around, or sometime in the past) go and make a comment. The post isn't going anywhere, so we've got lots of time for some discussion.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Discussion on The Secret Life of Bees

2008-11-18T14:29:00.005-05:00

Here's some discussion questions for The Secret Life of Bees (questions found here):

How would you describe Lily's feelings about her mother? Did they change throughout the novel? How did hearing that her mother left her affect her perception of her mother?
Do you believe T-Ray's account of what happened when Lily's mother died?
Did your opinion of T-Ray change when August told Lily about how much he used to love her mother? Does Deborah's abandonment explain or excuse T-Ray?
Do you agree with Lily that people would rather die than forgive? Does she forgive her mother? T-Ray? Herself?
What do the bees mean to the story? What is "the secret life of bees?"
Do you think race was portrayed realistically in The Secret Life of Bees? What do you think Sue Monk Kidd was saying about race in this novel?
Why did Rosaleen spit on the men's shoes? What are the ways the characters in the novel confront injustice? How do you think we should deal with injustice? Do these kinds of prejudices still exist today?
What was your reaction to Lily's relationship with Zach? What do you think happened to them in the future?
Talk about the sisters. Who was your favorite? Do we all need a wailing wall, like May? Why do you think June was cold toward Lily? How would you describe August?
What role did the Black Madonna play in their community? What do you think about the legend of the Black Madonna?
Rate The Secret Life of Bees on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being low and 5 being high).

Obviously, you don't need to answer all of these questions, but leave a comment on as many as you would like. Or just leave a general comment - anything to spark some discussion. I thought the book made for a very interesting read.

Interview with Meyer

2008-11-06T09:52:00.005-05:00

Here's an interview with Stephenie Meyer. It gives me hope that Midnight Sun is not dead ... just shelved for a while! I love love love Stephenie and can't wait to read whatever she comes out with next!

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20234559_20234567_20238527,00.html

Book for November

2008-10-27T10:13:00.003-04:00

Our book for November is:
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.

I read this book a long time ago and I remember basically nothing. I do remember it was good ... and it had bees in it ... other than that, I'm drawing a blank. I think it will be a good one to discuss amongst ourselves. Happy reading!!

My Thoughts Exactly

2008-10-23T12:01:00.004-04:00

This is an article written by Shannon Hale (most of you know how much I love her) and it pretty much sums up my feelings exactly.

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/index.asp?layout=talkBackCommentsFull&articleid=CA6600686&talk_back_header_id=6558881

It's not that I don't like the classics (I do, promise) but this explains why I love books like Shannon's or the Twilight Series. I love the stories and characters. I can devour Twilight a million times (and I am getting close to that :) because of the story in the book. That's the whole reason I fell in love with reading in the first place. (And yeah, I read Nancy Drew under the covers, too)

the curious incident of the dog in the night-time

2008-10-22T12:50:00.003-04:00

Well, once again, I agree with everything Carly said in her book review. I also loved the description of "special needs." I also cheered when Christopher overcame some of his fears and managed to find his mother. Well said, Carly.

A few more things to add - it did feel like the book was actually written by someone with autism. I don't personally know anyone with autism and I confess to not knowing that much about the disease. It was very interesting to read all about how his mind worked. When something happened in the book that would elicit feelings, Christopher followed it up with a chapter on something factual - like the constellations or a math problem.

And yes, I did like the math problems in the book. That comes from being a "math geek." I thought all the information in the book was really interesting.

It must be so hard for families who have autistic children. Bravo to them! While I didn't appreciate some of the language Christopher's father used, you could tell that he loved his son very much and would do anything for him. I was glad to see that by the end of the book, Christopher and his father were getting along better. I thought it was clever of him to suggest rebuilding their trust as a "project" to do together. Very clever, since it's so rational - which is exactly the way Christopher's mind works.

A very interesting book - cleverly written and pretty inspiring. I'm glad we could read this one together.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

2008-10-14T23:10:00.001-04:00

I finished this book a couple of days ago and I've been trying to think of something intelligent to say about it. I hadn't heard about it at all before, so I enjoyed reading something completely new to me. While reading I discovered that it is on the list of the National Endowment for the Art's top 100 books. I don't agree with all of their choices (I hate Catcher In The Rye - anyone else?) but figured it was worth checking out.

The first thing I noticed in this book was that the chapters were prime numbers. The main character and narrator, Christopher, has some version of autism and is very good with numbers. I am not. (I was pleased to recognize the prime numbers before he explained them!) I did my best to follow his explanations of mathematical and logical problems, but I admit to skipping over some of the paragraphs involving formulas, quadratic equations, or similar. I don't know the value of N, I never will, and it makes my brain hurt to think about it. (Sarah admits to being a "math geek" - her words not mine. I wonder if she could figure them out?)

I found Christopher's narrative to be very interesting and quite funny at times. His description of "special needs" was great; by Christopher's definition we all have special needs. I liked the way he justified his actions, explaining why he did something or didn't like a certain situation but did so without apologizing for his choices. And I inwardly cheered for him when he managed to temporarily overcome his very real fears of new places, strangers, and stimulation to get where he wanted to go. He is definitely an unlikely hero but I found it reassuring that, with perseverance, he could accomplish what for him is a major task. And if he can do it, so can I.

The author did a wonderful job of creating his narrator. We see what Christopher sees, and we understand more because his mind does not process all of the information in the same way. The way the book is written, complete with run-on sentences and descriptions that are literal facts from Christopher's perspective, gives the impression that what you are reading is a novel written by someone with autism. I liked the way he used different fonts and elements important to his narrator (math, lists, diagrams) to tell Christopher's story.

So, in short, very cleverly written and unexpectedly inspiring.

Brisingr

2008-10-14T09:11:00.005-04:00

I finished Brisingr (twice) and I liked it. I was initially disappointed when Paolini announced he intended to write a book 4, instead of his originally planned trilogy. I was anxious to find out what happens with the characters and the storyline. This book satisfied some of my curiosity, but it does leave me wanting book 4. I hope he finishes it soon! (though I think it’s still going to be a couple of years …)

Some general observations, free of specific spoilers:
• Paolini’s writing has improved. Obviously, he’s no longer 15 years old, as he was when he wrote Eragon. Thus, he’s matured, and consequently, so has his writing. Though he is still very descriptive – lots and lots of details.
• The characters in the book also mature. Eragon matures quite a bit, as does Roran, Arya, and Saphira.
• The book is bloodier than the first 2. There’s more fighting and more bloodshed as the armies of the Varden and Galbatorix collide. Innocent men, forced into serving Galbatorix, are hewn down. The whole of Alagaesia is thrown into an all-out war.
• Paolini is finding his own style – he still borrows from other well-known fantasy novels, but I feel like this one is more his own. He comes up with a couple of things that are quite unique to this book (can’t say more, it would spoil the book).

All in all, The Inheritance Series is one I would recommend to other people, for their reading pleasure … esp if they like fantasy, but even if they don’t like fantasy (like me).

Now for some specific spoilers, so stop reading if you haven’t read the book (or its predecessors):

• Agh! Oromis and Glaedr die! So sad! When the 4 of them departed Ellesmera together, I expected that Oromis and Glaedr would die eventually … but I was not expecting it to be so soon! I figured they would be killed in book 4 … not so soon after they all parted! And to be killed in such an underhanded, sneaky way upset me. I mean, I know it was in battle … but ugh, I’m still upset. Aaah, it made me very sad to see them die! And they didn’t even finish off Murtagh and Thorn. Grrr!
• Ergaon & Arya’s relationship. Arya has started to open up to Eragon; she's becoming open to the idea that she could potentially love him. I think she is uncertain of her feelings for him, or perhaps unsure of the depth of her feelings for him. She is definitely fond of him and has some affection for him. I don't think she actually loves (let's have children together and all) him yet, but she is developing a rather deep affection … an affection that will be love in book 4?? I think so.
• And what about Sloan? Was Eragon right not to kill him? I felt so bad for him; I almost think Eragon should have killed him … but it wasn’t his place to meet out a punishment.
• I thought it was a little slow in the middle. Sending Eragon to Farthen Dur (sp??) to sway the dwarves’ vote (though YEA for King Orik!) … the long and detailed description of how Eragon’s new blade was made (though it turned out to be kick-butt … I just didn’t want all the forging details) …

Predictions for book 4:
• Well, Eragon and Saphira are going to kill Galbatorix. Duh! It’s not going to be easy, somehow they will have to separate him from all his dragon hearts … but it’s going to happen. I have a feeling Elva will somehow play a role …
• The last dragon egg will hatch, mature, and will eventually become Saphira’s mate.
• The last dragon egg will hatch for Arya, making her the last Rider.
• I’m undecided on this one – but I think that possibly the Dragon Riders will be no more. Eragon, Saphira, Saphira’s mate/Arya’s dragon will all leave Alagaesia. You know, it will be the classic "humans have risen above the need for supernatural heroes, now the average man will have to become a hero …" with the average man represented by Roran.
• Arya and Eragon will wed … or maybe not wed, but fall in love and sail off together, leaving Alagaesia forever. This fulfills the last part of Angela’s prophesy about Eragon’s future.
• Roran and Katrina can finally go home and settle without fear of the empire. It would be extremely heartless if Paolini killed them off in book 4. Man, I would be so upset … although, maybe Roran will die (or Katrina?) and “when all seems lost” Eragon will go to the Vault of Souls and retrieve Roran’s soul? Somehow that last part of Solembum’s prediction is going to have to come true. Or … maybe Arya will die and Eragon will go retrieve her soul??

Twilight Poster & Trailer

2008-10-07T08:48:00.008-04:00

*Edited 10/10/08*

I had to add the link to the newest movie trailer ... seriously, I swooned. People don't ever swoon anymore, but man, I did. It's brilliant!! It looks amazing!
http://www.twilightthemovie.com/ecard_widget/

GAH! Sorry people, but I couldn't resist. LOOK at this poster! OH MY!!!!! I'm not going to make it, waiting 44 more days. The wait just might kill me ... (click on it to make it bigger ... yum!)

http://www.cinematical.com/2008/10/06/exclusive-brace-yourselves-ladies-the-final-twilight-poster/

Book for October

2008-09-29T09:47:00.004-04:00

For the month of October, we are going to be reading:
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon.

I've been wanting to read it for a while, and I know it's been read by other book clubs. Does anyone have a problem with this book?

Oh and in case no one noticed, I've added the "labels" function to our book blog. I've gone back and edited most of the posts to include labels, but I haven't done all of them ... so if I missed one one of your posts (don't take it personally) then feel free to go back and add a label to a past post. This will make it much easier to search back through the posts on similar topics. Labels are pretty self explanatory, but if you have questions, let me know. Keep in mind that if I use "Stephenie Meyer" as my label and you use "Stephenie" it will be under different sections. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but keep it in mind. Happy reading!

Eragon & Eldest

2008-09-19T15:31:00.009-04:00

I’ve finished re-reading Eragon and Eldest in my preparation for the release of Brisingr. I am going to post my thoughts on Eragon and Eldest, and then hopefully, I will post some thoughts when I am done reading Brisingr. The following thoughts contain mild spoilers, but mostly just generalizations of the books.

Let me start by saying that I like these books. I do. And now you’re all thinking that by beginning my thoughts in this manner, that there must be some “but” coming. Like “I really like these books … but … ” and that’s not really the case. These books are enjoyable to read, and I find that I do get sucked into the story, wanting to know what’s going to happen with the characters.

It’s just that I find Paolini’s writing to be … well, a little immature. He’s got a vivid imagination, that’s for sure. And he’s obviously drawing his knowledge from his idol (J.R.R. Tolkien). I know that I shouldn’t compare Paolini’s Inheritance Series to Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings series, but I can’t help myself. They have so many elements in common, that I find myself saying “that’s the same thing that happened in LOTR.”

Besides the obvious similarities, like having dwarves and elves and other mystical creatures, the 2 series have many of the same themes. Man (who is mortal, though lives an extended life) falling in love with an immortal Elven princess? Check. Elves hiding in their lands, preparing to launch one last stand after being defeated years ago? Check. Strange names that are impossible to pronounce? Check. (I mean, Galbatorix? How do you say that exactly?) The existence of the one true language? Check. You get my point … lots of similarities. Paolini’s writings don’t feel as mature to me as Tolkien’s, though they revolve around the same themes (loyalty to one’s family, love for others, a sense of justice and rightness, etc).

One thing that does impress me is Paolini’s use of other languages. I didn't spend much time reading through the language guide so I don't know if Paolini made up the languages and their accompanying rules, or if he followed established rules (from other fantasy novels) and made some modifications to fit his own books. Either way, it’s impressive. Even though I have no idea what any of the words mean … and I get annoyed having to flip back and forth between the index with the language translation and the storyline. Still … I’m pretty sure that if I tried to make up a language, I would fail dismally.

So there you go – that’s my take on the books. I like them and I am looking forward to reading Brisingr. They do capture my attention and make me want to keep reading so I can find out what happens. Will Eragon and Roran rescue Katrina? Will Galbatorix be overthrown? Will Arya finally fall in love with Eragon? Or will Eragon get over her and find someone else to love (Nasuada?) Most of all, what happens that necessitated Paolini’s announcement that there will be 4 books in the series, instead of the planned 3? Is there really so much stuff that's it's impossible to wrap it up in Brisingr? I guess I’ll find out when I get my copy (sometime next week, I hope).

And please make a comment in the post below for a book idea for October ... I've got one idea, so if no one suggests anything, I guess we're going with that.

Ideas for October?

2008-09-17T15:30:00.005-04:00

Anybody got any ideas for a book(s) we can read for the month of October? If you have posted an idea in the past, please just post it again - I'm too lazy to go back and look through all the comments :) I definitely need some new book ideas (now that I have finished the entire Twilight Saga, yet again) so please post a comment. Thanks all!

Stephenie Meyer

2008-09-08T09:01:00.004-04:00

The news that Midnight Sun had been leaked on the internet makes me very sad. I feel betrayed on behalf of Stephenie and appalled that some "anti-Twilighters" would do this. Ugh! If people don't like Breaking Dawn, any of Stephenie's books, or even Stephenie herself, it's still appalling that people would betray her like this.

Right on Kaleb, I totally agree. Enough Stephenie bashing!
http://kalebnation.com/blog/2008/09/06/in-defense-of-stephenie-meyer/

A fellow author (and personal friend to Stephenie) has this to say: (scroll down so you start reading part 1, then move up to part 2 and part 3)
http://oinks.squeetus.com/
I agree 100%. I agree more than 100%. And I wish I could put it as eloquently as does Shannon.

I support Stephenie Meyer. And I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that one day she will finish Midnight Sun - and I'll be first in line to buy it!!

Just a little more

2008-08-19T19:36:00.004-04:00

There isn't too much left to discuss about Breaking Dawn. Sarah pretty much covered everything. :) I'm glad she was able to put her thoughts into words so well; she and I are pretty much on the same wavelength when it comes to things Twilight related. Saved me a lot of work. Here are just a few other thoughts rattling around in my head.

*I liked how so many of the characters matured in this book. Jacob and Bella were forced to change the most, but I really felt they came into their own. Bella became a wife, mother, and vampire – things that she really was meant to be. Jacob became the Alpha, what he was born to be, and imprinted. The centers of their worlds changed to be something more important.

*I loved that the wolves, Seth and Jacob in particular, and the Cullens began to look beyond what their “enemies” were and learned to see who they were. They let go of the hatred that had been taught them – not a hatred born from experience or certain events but one simply from tradition. Jacob began to see that Carlisle, and the rest of the Cullens as well, is truly good. Yes, there are bad vampires and the wolves need to protect the people, but being a vampire does not make them bad. It is their choices that determine whether they are good or bad. I was happy when Jacob could see that Carlisle and Esme were good, courteous, loyal, loving…And when he and Edward were able to put aside their previous dislike in order to protect their common loves, Bella and Renesmee, I inwardly cheered. (Thank goodness Renesmee took care of that messy love triangle!) Similarly, I was happy when Edward accepted Jacob as part of his family. When Edward called him “my son,” I burst into tears. (Not the first time the book made me cry, mind you. I’m an emotional reader.)

*I have to admit that at first I was among those who felt the end was slightly anti-climactic. Like Sarah, I was geared up for a physical fight but it never came. After I was able to think about, though, I realized that I really couldn’t have handled a physical fight. It would have meant so much loss. So even though I would have loved for Edward or Emmett to get a swipe at Demetri (don’t you think he deserved to get taken down a notch? Jane and Alec too?), I was happy that there the “hearing” did not escalate to physical violence. Luckily Bella was able to protect everyone when Jane and Alec were trying to play dirty by starting to fight early.

*Randomly, I loved that Charlie and Sue began seeing each other. Charlie deserves some happiness and companionship after loving Renee all these years, and Sue now has someone to lean on after Harry and help her with her kids. That leaves Billy out though; hopefully he and Charlie can patch up their relationship soon.

*Oh, Sarah and I discussed this, but for the rest of you who might have been confused like me - I wondered how Bella was able to drink the human blood for her baby. I mean, I know that mothers will do just about anything for their children, but I had trouble wrapping my head around Bella drinking blood, especially since before just the smell alone would make her so physically ill. Sarah reminded me that many women have changes in appetites and what they like or dislike to eat during pregnancy. We pretty much decided that this was why Bella went from getting sick at the smell of blood to liking the taste of it. (I've had three kids but the change in appetite thing didn't occur to me at all. I guess because I never had cravings for food or anything like that. I was just hungry and ate a lot. Of anything.)

All in all, I absolutely loved the book. Now I need to find a new obsession.

- Carly

Book for August

2008-08-12T10:19:00.003-04:00

Well, since no one but Carly responded when I asked what book we wanted to be reading for August (see here) ... besides Breaking Dawn, of course ... and I figured it's going to be a very busy month for pretty much everyone ... I've decided we are going to do Eragon. I'm reading it anyways and I'd love to have some people to discuss it with. So if you want to join in, then get your hands on Eragon ... if not, then take the month off and we'll find something else to read for next month, when everything might be a little calmer for everyone (here's to hoping, anyways). If anyone is reading this and thinking to yourself "hey, I don't want to read Eragon, but I really do want to read ____" then say something. I'm game for another book, if someone has something in mind. Cory & I are driving down to Boston and up to Maine in a few weeks, and I'm lucky enough that I can read in the car and not get sick ... so I'll be needing some reading material. Again, just leave a comment if you have a suggestion. Happy August!! :)

Breaking Dawn - I'm in love!! Part 2

2008-08-10T15:44:00.004-04:00

Yep lots of *spoilers* are found below:

I’ve finished the book a second time, giving me lots of time to “digest” everything. And I have spent lots of time on the fansites, reading what other people thought. There’s some people who didn’t like it, which baffles me. I thought it was perfect. The more I think about it, the more I love the book. So bare with me as I have some more thoughts on the book …

I felt the characters all progressed naturally. I loved how the characters grew - Bella became so much more mature in this book (her character developed from an infatuated teen to a loving mother and mature adult). Edward grew and embraced fatherhood – something he never dreamed possible. Even Jacob grew (more on him later …)

I also loved the few Edward and Bella bits in this. I was so happy they were finally married. I didn't think there was too much "honeymoon-y" parts in the book, or that there was too must “lust”. I thought it was perfect. Honestly, they just got married; of course they are going to "be together" a lot. They’ve never had that before, and that's part of being married. Those of us who follow the law of chastity should understand this more than anyone else. Sex is a really beautiful part of being married. That doesn’t make the book all about lust or un-romantic. I thought the book was still incredibly romantic. And I appreciated that all the sex stuff was very tastefully written. And I also loved that Bella realized that it was right for them to bind themselves together in every possible way before they had sex.

The love between Bella and Edward is beyond wonderful, but there's so much more to life than that. This may be difficult for some younger fans to comprehend right now. True, some of the focus was taken away from Bella and Edward. There were fewer moments between just the two of them; but their love was stronger than ever. Their little addition brought more happiness than they could have ever comprehended. Their relationship became more refined and mature, making it just that much stronger.

I’ve seen a lot of people talking about a lack of plot, but really these books are character driven; they don't really revolve around a certain plot, and that's one of the things I like about them.

People are saying that Breaking Dawn didn’t jive with the other 3 in the series. Her transformation was much too easy, etc. etc. From the very beginning it's been obvious that Bella is far from a normal human. Most humans are naturally avoidant of vampires; but rather than being repelled by a world beyond her own, she's drawn to it. It fascinates her. The only people she can seem to connect with on any deep level just aren't human. I think Bella was born to be a vampire. She says at one point that she feels that way. She never fit in anywhere because she hadn't found where she belonged. Everything falls into place when she takes on the form destiny intended for her. To put it simply, she really was always on a different wavelength than most people.

I was 99% sure she was going to transform into a vampire before I started Breaking Dawn … and I’m very glad she did. I didn't want to see her as a newborn because that would have to go on for at least a year, more time for Edward to spend protecting her and her being helpless (and I think we’ve all had enough of that). The fact that she was able to control herself was a good idea. Didn't Edward and the Cullens always find it odd that Bella was able to face their lifestyle, the Volturi and the supernatural world, without her brain exploding from stress? She was always able to survive the best considering the circumstances, and her new life would be no different.

There are people who actually loathe Nessie because she “takes away from Bella and Edward’s romance”. If anything, she adds to it. She's the most amazing kind of symbol of the love they have for each other.

Bella has always been selfless to an insane degree. This is apparent from the beginning when she sacrifices her own happiness for the sake of her mother's by moving to Forks. Is it so difficult so believe she would risk her life for her child's? Her seemingly sudden protective nature over the baby required little explanation. It's Bella's instinct to put another's life before her own. I also feel this protectiveness is natural given the circumstances. Nessie isn't just a stranger. A normal amount of time for her to form a connection isn't necessary. Nessie's her baby, her little nudger. She's already a part of her and a part of Edward. How could she not instantly love Edward's child?

Nessie's role actually made sense to me. Anyone remember Bella's lucid dreams? She always had them ... you know, it was hard to miss in all the previous books. Her love for Jacob, those dreams even, were all being channeled from Nessie. I loved how Bella had mentioned (in Eclipse, I think) that she felt a need to be a part of Jacob's life for some reason. And to think, she would be the reason for Jacob's eternal happiness all along ... just in a different way than he was thinking. So cool.

Speaking of Jacob – well, I said I always liked him, but he annoyed me, and I felt that he was in the way, blah, blah, blah. However, in this book I actually grew to love his character. The transition from Bella's point of view to his was flawless in my opinion, and I'm glad to have read through Bella's pregnancy from his POV rather than hers (she was suffering, no one understood her choice, she was going to fight for it, repeat for several chapters, you get the idea …) plus seeing the pregnancy through Jacob’s eyes was … well, icky. And perfect. I wanted a happy resolution for Jacob's pain (that didn’t involve him getting in the way of Bella and Edward). And we got that. Only we got so much more. We got ten whole chapters of Jacob's mind. With every snip, snip, snip of the imprinting Jacob finally became free. Free from his pain, his sorrow, his loneliness and now he has a purpose and a future. Call me a hopeless romantic – I don’t care! :)

Lots of people thought the ending was “anti-climactic.” Well, I won’t lie to you – I was definitely bracing for a fight, and freaking out the whole time (you can ask Cory if you don’t believe me). BUT when one didn’t happen, I wasn’t disappointed. Pat & I discussed (at length) what we thought the cover would mean (before the book was released). We thought it would all be about strategy. It’s a chess board with chess pieces … and when I think of chess, I think of a mental game. The point of chess is to play a mental game, designed to outthink and outmaneuver your opponent. I had all this in the back of my head when reading Breaking Dawn. I found the ending to be very climactic – because, in our opinion, there was a fight. It just wasn’t a physical fight – but man, there was a lot of mental fighting going on! And let’s face it … the books have always been about a mental fight – yes, there’s always been a physical component to the fight, but it’s always thought out meticulously first. So it makes perfect sense to me that the “big fight” we were all bracing for at the end of Breaking Dawn was a mental one. It was about strategy – Bella, Edward, Carlisle, Garrett, Alice – all outthinking their opponents, and leveling the physical playing field with Bella’s amazing shield. No wonder the Volturi ran off with their tales between their legs – they’d never had a fair fight and they weren’t about to start– they had been mentally outmaneuvered. Loved it!

I loved the last 2 pages. Loved them! It made me cry when Edward finally got to read Bella’s mind. No matter how many times I read it, it never fails to make me feel so good inside. Edward finally got what he wanted (almost more than anything else in the whole world) - a look into what Bella was thinking. Plus, I thought it was very fitting that Bella saved her best memories for that moment. Very special. He finally could see just how much he means to her … after squabbling over it for 4 books :) He always thought he loved her more than she loved him … and he could finally see that they were equal in their love for each other.

Oh and the humor! I LOVED the chapter titles and the sarcastic dialog. From Leah and Jake talking about Seth being dropped on his and chewing on a crib with lead paint, to blonde jokes and dog bowl with FIDO scratched in … I laughed, a lot! Out loud!

I just think it took amazing imagination to weave all these loose ends together. Everyone got their happily ever after ... YEA! That's why I loved this series in the first place. I enjoyed the way she wrapped things up - I never read this story as a lesson in reality. People are upset because all the characters get to live “happily ever after” and that’s not what happens in real life. Is all of this happiness unrealistic? I don't think so. The whole series has been full of struggle. Edward and Bella have been through the ringer time and time again. When they're finally rewarded for their dedication, people complain. I, personally, don't think there's anything wrong with the fact that after surviving so much hardship, they've become confident in their love. This isn't to say they'll never have another trial in their eternal lives, but the confidence they have provides a certain level of happiness that will always be there. I don't think that's too far fetched. Besides, the only kind of real ending there can be is a happy one. This isn't the end of their lives. It's simply the ending of this part of their lives. This journey is finally over because a resolution has been reached. Everyone can live happily ever after if they want to! (Besides, who actually reads these books as reality? They are fantasy.) I loved the ending. I love fairy-tale endings and happily-ever-afters. Like I said before – Breaking Dawn was perfect.

"Chat" with Stephenie

2008-08-06T11:46:00.004-04:00

Don't read this if you haven't finished Breaking Dawn, 'cause it definitely gives some stuff away. It's a fun read - Stephenie answering questions, so the readers can "get inside" her head.
Interview with Stephenie on Twilight Lexixcon

Oh and some reviews for the book, in case anyone else wants to read them:
http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/Books/article/471979
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080804/LIFE/80804040/1005

Breaking Dawn

2008-08-04T13:38:00.003-04:00

Hi, I'm Pat. I work with Sarah and I am as obessed with the Twilight series as Sarah. I loved Breaking Dawn, WOW!

I was wondering what others thought about the book cover and what it represented. So here are my thoughts....SPOILER!

The white queen is Bella transformed, assuming her full and rightful power. The red pawn is the old Bella, weak and easily captured. I loved in the book how everyone feels that Bella is a natural at being a vampire, kind of destiny. Anyway these are my thoughts. I really looking forward to discussing this book.

Breaking Dawn - I'm in love!!

2008-08-03T21:17:00.009-04:00

I’m finished. And wow, what a ride! The book was fantastic. Perfect, perfect, perfect! I began reading Breaking Dawn around 9 am on Saturday morning, and I finished around 11:30 pm (with some breaks for lunch, dinner and a walk with Cory, since I was starting to lose feeling in my legs). I tried going to bed as soon as I finished, but I had so many thoughts swirling around in my head that I had to get up and write some of them down – then I could finally get some sleep. Still, I had some weird dreams (which you can probably guess at, if you’ve finished the book).

Sheesh, where to start? Ü So many of my theories came true, which made me very happy. So here are my thoughts, in no real order.

Warning: if you haven’t read the book, then you are about to read some spoilers. Major spoilers!! You should stop reading now, and come back when you are done with the book.

Seriously – did I mention some MAJOR spoilers? You’ve been warned …

I originally had the idea that Bella would somehow get pregnant. I loved how this would tie the immortal and mortal world together – and bind Bella & Edward together in one more way. I dismissed my theory because I thought vampires didn’t have any, um, fluids. So it would be impossible for Edward to father a child. Guess I was wrong Ü. I actually loved the twist of Bella getting pregnant. She was born to be a mother – she had all the instinctual qualities that made her a perfect mother. Plus, it was something she didn’t have to give up so she could become a vampire. She got the best of both worlds.

I’ve always liked Jacob. Yeah I thought he was a moronic teenager sometimes (hello, why did he invite Charlie to the house when Bella had just barely turned vampire? Such a moron!! Ü) I loved the twist of him imprinting on Nessie (and I did see it coming, just a little bit). Of course, it makes perfect sense that he would imprint on Bella’s daughter. Did he ever even stand a chance? It’s Bella’s daughter. He could forever be a part of Bella’s family, without the weird love triangle thing going on.

I loved how almost effortless it was for Bella to skip the bloodthirsty part of being a “newborn” vampire. Of course, I’m sure her aversion to blood as a human helped the transition, but I think it was her excellent sense of self control and discipline that made the transition easier. Incredible. She has a spotless record when it comes to drinking human blood (that she hunted and killed for - I don't think bought blood counts). I also loved how Bella’s personality traits came with her when she became a vampire – she didn’t lose any of her innate Bella-ness.

The one thing I was happiest about getting right was Bella's cool new vampire power. This is what I wrote in one of my emails to Carly, discussing our theories for Breaking Dawn: “Bella will be more immune to human blood than what is "normal" for a newborn vampire. Her "power" is her private mind - she will be able to exert that influence over others, when they are with her, making their minds also private. Like if Bella is with Edward, Jane would not be able to use her power on Edward or Bella - her mind will protect his.” And … I was RIGHT!! (very small moment of gloating for me!) Bella’s power was in being a shield. When I read that word for the first time, I thought it was perfect. A shield. Bella’s power was a defensive one, which was also fitting. Her love for her family, and friends, overtook everything and she shielded them all from danger. So perfect. Bella was always the “weak link” in the previous 3 books. It was absolutely proper to see her standing side by side with Edward, defending her family. In the end, she saved everyone, making her truly an equal. She was born to be a vampire, since she did it with ease, and saved the day.

Other things I loved in, in random order:
· Bella beating Emmett at arm wrestling (so sweet!)
· Seth Clearwater – need I say more?
· The reference to Florida football, when Charlie comes to the Cullen house for the first time – Go Gators!
· Alice coming through at the very end (I never doubted her, ever).
· The cottage Esme decorated for Bella & Edward – perfect for the 2 of them. I love Esme!
· That Bella continued to see Charlie, on a “need to know” basis. Charlie’s got guts, that’s for sure.
· Bella attacking Jake, after learning he nicknamed her daughter after the Loch Ness Monster Ü. Too bad Edward got in the way … I would have liked to see her get in one good swipe at Jake … you know, even things up from the other books.
· Jane’s inability to hurt Bella – or those she loved – and how Bella was so smug about it, and she smiled smugly right at Jane. Take that, you sadistic *****
· Bella & Rosalie’s improved relationship, and giving Rosalie a kind of surrogate of what she always wanted.
· Renee’s reaction to the news that Bella was getting married
· And last, but not least, I loved that Bella was able to remove the shield from her own mind, so she could let Edward see her thoughts, just for a minute. I found that incredibly touching (and romantic, too).

In my opinion, it was the perfect ending. I was so anxious about how it was all going to turn out that I found myself reading ahead of myself all the time. My accelerated heartbeat could be heard (by Cory) in the silence of our bedroom. I thought my poor heart was going to beat right out of my chest. Luckily, it didn’t, and I’m doing much better Ü. I’m definitely reading it again, since I’m sure I missed some minor details in my haste to get to the end. Brilliant book – thanks Stephenie, for creating such an excellent read. I'm in love!

Everybody is welcome!

2008-08-01T13:18:00.003-04:00

For any of you guys that have friends who would like to be a part of our online book club blog (or just need a place to discuss Twilight) - everybody is welcome. If they have a gmail address, send it to: bookclubfriends@gmail.com and then I can issue them an invite to become an author on the blog (or leave your email address in the comments section, if you are comfortable doing that). The more, the merrier, so invite your friends!

Books for August

2008-08-01T12:55:00.004-04:00

I can't believe it's already August! Seriously, where did July go?!?! Or June, for that matter. It's time again to pick a new book for the month of August, and I want some feedback. Of course, we are going to be reading Breaking Dawn (the 4th installment of the Twilight series). That really goes almost without saying. Ü Personally, I am hoping for lots and lots of discussion. I want in-depth discussion of all the details, plot-by-plot analysis ... then hopefully it will salve my thirst for all things Twilight and I can go back to being a somewhat normal person. Ü

In the meantime, do you guys want to read any other book for the month of August? Just Breaking Dawn? Another one also? I have a couple of ideas for other books, but I'd love some input. Me, I am going to be reading the Eragon series over again, and I'd love to have some company, if anyone else has time for another big book (well, 2 and soon to be 3 big books). Thoughts? Suggestions?

Harry Potter 6

2008-08-01T12:51:00.003-04:00

This has nothing really to do with any books, except that the movie is based on the book. I'm posting it 'cause it's simply stunning and I'm so excited that I had to share.
http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/07/29/harry-potter-and-the-half-blood-prince-the-trailer-has-arrived/

It's the trailer for the sixth Harry Potter book, and it looks sweet!!!

Sugar Queen review

2008-07-31T10:18:00.008-04:00

Well, it seems I was the only one who read The Sugar Queen, so I’ll make this review short. I liked it. It had a few words that I didn’t like reading (see warning here) but overall, I enjoyed reading it. Allen’s books (I’ve read both) tend to be very light, fluffy and whimsical. It was one of those books that you take to the beach (or something) for a bit of light reading – or to escape into another world.

The thing I enjoyed most about the book was that it encouraged Josey to find her own way; to be her own person. It was good to see her evolve into her own person. I enjoyed all the character interactions. I cringed when reading the parts about Josey’s mother, and was quietly thankful for a family who has always encouraged me to “be myself.” I know it sounds corny, but it’s true.

I also enjoyed the relationship that Chloe had with books – how they were always finding her at the time when she needed them most. And I loved how persistent they were; even crawling into the bathroom, though they were supposed to be afraid of water. I loved how Chloe would talk to the books – because I do the same thing. I talk to books, and to the characters in them. I’ve always been a bookworm and I relate to the characters in the books – and I often relate to them by talking out loud. Cory thinks me very funny :)

So, in short, this is a fun and fluffy book. It's not-challenging and a quick read - and everyone ends up happy. My kind of book!

Sugar Queen

2008-07-29T14:21:00.001-04:00

Did anyone else read The Sugar Queen?

The Screwtape Letters

2008-07-29T00:56:00.003-04:00

Whew! Finally finished. I have never had to renew a library book so often that wasn't research paper-related! I was determined to finish it this month!

I thought The Screwtape Letters was very cleverly written. Reading from the perspective of a senior demon is an interesting experience! I have to admit that some of the book was baffling and that, for me, it was occasionally like reading Isaiah in the scriptures. "Huh?" I just had to plow my way through some of it. And after reading a page or two, I wondered what it was that I had just read because none of it sank in! But other parts were clearer to understand and I found those parts fascinating.

It was amazing to me how contemporary the text seemed. In discussing the problems a person faces spiritually, this could have been written yesterday and not in 1942. Some things never change, and truth is one of them. I found Lewis's discussions on prayer, joy, silence, courage, and the historical Jesus to be particularly interesting, among others, as they were so easily relatable. There were times when I felt that I was Wormwood's "patient" and Screwtape was giving him directions on how to tempt me!

My favorite letter was 26, where Screwtape teaches Wormwood about Unselfishness. I thought that discussion was hilarious, especially when Screwtape described having "tea in the garden." I have seen that scenario played out many times (although not usually over "tea"), especially at family functions. I thought his description was right on and very funny. I also really enjoyed the various titles of people and places that were throughout the book: the Enemy, Our Father Below, the Infernal Police, the Lowerarchy, and the House of Correction for Incompetent Tempters.

I also thought it appropriate that Screwtape almost never praises Wormwood for whatever work he has been doing - we never know if what he has tried has been successful in turning his patient away from the Enemy. Nearly all of the letters chastise Wormwood for what he has done wrong. Considering the source, that the letters are coming from a senior demon who works for Our Father Below, I thought the negativity was very telling. Praise tends to make a person feel good; what experienced demon would want to produce such feelings? Not Screwtape, that's for sure.

Did anyone else read it?

-Carly

Sugar Queen warning

2008-07-18T21:21:00.004-04:00

I just finished the book Sugar Queen. I'll write my thoughts later, but I wanted those of you who haven't yet read it to have some warning. It's a little more risque than I was expecting (a little sex, though it's definitely not graphic) and it says the F-word a couple of times (all within the same paragraph). Sorry! When I picked the book, I really wasn't expecting that. The author's first book was cleaner. Anyways, if content like that is offensive to you, then don't read the book (or skip a couple of the paragraphs). I just wanted everyone to have a heads up. I loved what the book was saying about finding your own way ... but you have to look past a bit of adult content.
Sarah

Breaking Dawn teasers

2008-07-17T09:03:00.004-04:00

For those who don't already know, Stephenie is posting one quote a day from Breaking Dawn (the 4th book in the Twilight series). I'm having a BLAST reading them and trying to decipher what they mean. Stephenie says she has a twisted sense of humor and not to go too crazy over the quotes ... ha ha, yeah right. It's waaaay too late for me :) Let the speculation begin!!!

http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/bd_quotes.html

July's books

2008-06-30T13:44:00.006-04:00

I know the month of July is going to be crazy-busy for the Bingham household, and I am guessing it’s going to be similarly busy for most of you guys. Nevertheless, we are going to add 1 more book for the month of July. The “deadline” for Screwtape Letters was supposed to be the end of June … but no biggie. I’m not done with it either, since it does take some time to digest (and I can’t wait for the discussion, since there are so many things in there to think about!) Anyways … I digress. Since it’s going to be a busy month, we will extend the deadline for Screwtape Letters into July.

For the month of July, we will be reading:
The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen (her website is here)

If we get through both of these books in the month of July, then we can add another one into the mix. But for now, we’ll do these two.

For those of you who think they want another series: for the months of July & August, I am going to be re-reading the Inheritance Series. It’s a series of books written by a kid named Christopher Paolini (http://alagaesia.com/index.php). He was home-schooled and wrote the first book in the series at age 15. The first book is named Eragon, the second book is Eldest, and the third book is due out September 20th (named Brisinger). I read them all a while ago and I have forgotten pretty much most of what happens in the books – thus I am re-reading the first 2 so I will be ready for Brisinger. If anyone is looking for a bigger book to read this summer, I invite you to read Eragon with me. I’m not going to make any of them official book club books, since I think they’re too big, there’s going to be 3 books soon, and summer is just too busy for so many people. However, if I am wrong and you are interested in reading them, then I would love to have discussion about these books. I liked them the first time around, and I would love to discuss them with anyone who has read them, or is interested in reading them.

Happy reading and happy July!

p.s. if anyone knows of any other people who would be interested in joining our book club, let me know and I can send them an invite. The more the merrier!

How we doing?

2008-06-25T08:43:00.003-04:00

How's everybody doing on June's books? There have been no posts about Screwtape Letters, so that means people haven't had time to post, or haven't had time to read the book. Which one is it? For me, I haven't had the time yet to read the book, but I did start it and I plan to finish it. So ... should we pick another book for July? 2 books? Extend the "deadline" for Screwtape Letters? Extend the deadline and pick 1 more book for July? If you have an opinion, leave it in the comments section. Thanks friends! I'm loving this book club and I'm so glad everybody is participating!
~Sarah

My Two Cents

2008-06-18T01:13:00.003-04:00

I really enjoyed reading Stargirl. Next time I'm at the library I'll pick up the sequel. Like Sarah, I thought the theme of originality was great. Now to touch on a few other things, mostly random.

Besides Stargirl, Archie was my next favorite character. Every time he talked to Leo you had to pay a little bit more attention because he seemed to talk in riddles, but if you were really listening and thought about it, what he said would make sense. There was also sort of a foreshadowing aspect in what he said, especially when he talked about losing the game (page 75). Even though he was specifically talking about the animal becoming extinct, there was no doubt that he was also referring to Stargirl disappearing.

I loved the comparison of the students with the mud frogs - dormant and waiting, waiting for the rain to come and make their lives complete. Because Stargirl was not afraid to be different, to be herself, the other students were able to feel more comfortable in showing their individuality. Stargirl was the rain.

There were so many descriptions of Stargirl that I thought were great, so many enviable characteristics she had. She thought only of others. "[H]er bad things did not stick to her. Our bad things stuck very much to her. If we were hurt, if we were unhappy...she seemed to know about it, and to care, as soon as we did." Even when she transformed herself into Susan, it was because Leo wanted her to. She also made an impact for good on those around her, even if they were reluctant to the changes, and that impact had a lasting effect. I liked how she taught Leo how to "see" and how she not only saw things but felt them as well.

I liked how the author helped the reader have different perspectives. It was easy to be upset with Leo for wanting Stargirl to change, but it was also easy to see why, even though he really liked her - and I think he truly liked her for who she really was - he wanted her to be like everybody else. It's hard, especially as a teenager, to go against the grain. We probably all know someone like Stargirl in some ways, someone who was a little (or a lot) different and was ridiculed for it. Conformity is safer. Not necessarily better, but certainly safer in the world of high school. I think most of us are like Leo. We seem to need the attention of others to confirm our own presence. So we try to fit in until we can figure out who we really are and be comfortable with that.

And last, I enjoyed the typo. Typos always amuse me.

Now, off to read The Screwtape Letters.

- Carly

Thoughts on "Stargirl"

2008-06-17T09:40:00.002-04:00

I really liked Stargirl. It was definitely a very easy read, which was something that I needed. It’s been extremely hectic at our house (even more than usual) and so it was nice not to read something really heavy.

I liked how the book was all about originality – and Stargirl being herself. I was sad when she transformed into Susan, since I also thought she was betraying herself. But then the ending made me sad, when Leo didn’t take her to the dance and she went all alone – then disappeared when it was over. Her entrance to the dance did make me laugh though – I had this awesome mental picture of what she must have looked like arriving in a sidecar to a bike, with a bright yellow gown on. I thought I read somewhere that they are making Stargirl into a movie … that could be very interesting.

One thing really grabbed me – I guess you could say it’s one of the themes for the book. We humans form groups. This is so true! In high school, everyone has their own “group” of friends. Same with college. Same with church. Same with every place we go. We can’t seem to help ourselves – we as humans congregate into groups so we feel more comfortable. Often times, I think we value “fitting in” more than we should. For me, my parents are great example of bucking this natural instinct. They will talk to anyone – anytime. It used to drive me crazy when I was younger, but now I really admire that characteristic. They are always making friends wherever they go. You can count on mom taking too long at the grocery store, since she finds someone she doesn’t know and talks forever :) Nevertheless, it’s such a good trait to develop – being inclusive and welcoming to everyone. Getting ourselves out of our comfort zone and meeting new (and different) people. I try to do this – but I’m not nearly as good as my parents. Or Stargirl. She had guts in the book, that’s for sure. I guess I will keep working at it …

And I thought the part where she kisses Hillari on the cheek was so sweet. It’s a literal example of the commandment to “turn the other cheek.” I wish I had more compassion like this. What tremendous love one must have in order to kiss someone who has ridiculed you all year and has just slapped you!!

This was a great, quick, fun and insightful book that I enjoyed reading. I think when things calm down a bit at our house, I am going to go and get the sequel (Love, Stargirl) from the library.

June's books

2008-05-30T15:26:00.003-04:00

We're going to do 2 books for the month of June. Like last time, you can read one, both or none (but if you read none then you are a slacker ;)

The books are:
Star Girl by Jerry Spinelli
Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

Even if you have read them before, you are welcome to read them again. Or if you don't want to read them again, you are welcome to add your thoughts to the posts once other people finish the books - that way you can be a part of the discussions that take place.

Star Girl is a very light-hearted read (not to mention a small book). The Screwtape Letters are Christian satire, and are not hard reading - but do provoke lots of interesting thoughts. I think we will enjoy both books. Happy reading!

Attention "Twlight" fans

2008-05-30T13:54:00.007-04:00

This post is for those of you who are eagerly anticipating the 4th book in the Twilight series (Like ME!!) From the EW.com website: below you will find a link that has an exclusive sneak peak of the first chapter of Breaking Dawn. The entire first chapter is available in the Eclipse Special Edition, out tomorrow (May 31), which will also reveal the cover of Breaking Dawn and have Team Edward and Team Jacob iron-on decals.

For the record, I am going to Barnes and Noble tomorrow (which is like a 35 mile drive one way) and I am going to read the entire first chapter of Breaking Dawn while I am there. I am also going to see if I can snag a Team Edward decal!! Yes, I do know that I am obsessed.

Warning though - I read the chapter excerpt and got so excited I nearly fell out of my chair (I'm really not exaggerating!) So read this with caution and enjoy :)

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20203238,00.html

Ideas??

2008-05-27T15:04:00.003-04:00

The month of June is quickly approaching ... which means that we need new ideas for a book (or books) of the month. Anyone have any ideas? Feel free to email them to me or leave them in the comments. If I don't hear from anyone, I will think of something ... but I would love some suggestions (hint, hint). May was a great month for our little book club! Good job everyone!
Cheers!
Sarah

My Views on The Host and Stephenie Meyer

2008-05-21T19:37:00.003-04:00

I was originally going to comment on the other posts, but it ended up being too long. So I am creating my own post.

I think one of Stephenie Meyer's strongest writing characteristics is her character development. The characters in her novels become real. We go through the emotional ups and downs of her character and that is why we all become so attached to her books. She said in one of her interviews or blog posts that the Twilight characters were real to her and she would find herself talking to them. She's able to translate that into her writing. I love getting to know her characters.

I really liked The Host because of how it delved into the complexities of the human emotions and bodily cravings. There are very much some celestial undertones in there if you look at it. A soul inhabiting a body that the soul must learn to control! Wanda says several times in the book that she has never experienced a host that had such strong emotions.

Andrea talked about how she understand the love triangle and how Wanda could love Jared the way she did, especially after the way he treated her. I think the point Stephenie was trying to make is how strongly we are influenced by our emotions and our bodies. We have spirits that are independent of our bodies but yet our bodies have these cravings and urges that are overpowering and it takes an immense amount of control to master them. I think Wanda loved Jared the way she did because she felt the love Melanie had for him and he had for Melanie. That kind of "true love" is a powerful connection. One that reaches beyond death. Wanda had never felt that powerful of an emotion before, so of course she loved Jared. I liked that Stephenie created the love triangle because she shows the true complexity of an eternal emotion called love.

I also thought the book was long and a bit tedious in parts, but I really can't complain because I literally took the book to work and read it while I was at work. CRAZY! I thought it was interesting that the title of the book was The Host when in actuality it was not about the host but the invader. I liked how Stephenie took something inherently evil (an alien invader) and made them so good. You fell in love with the souls and yet you grieved for the humans. Would there be a way for them to coexist?

I would have liked to have Melanie more vocal while they were in the caves and seen more of her after Wanda took on her new body. She was too vital of character that I think we missed out on.

Overall I think Stephenie did a great job and I loved it! Definitely a keeper. Even though I was very skeptical about the book at first.

Wanda, Mel, and The Host

2008-05-19T11:55:00.004-04:00

This is my first post- I've been in this forever, but I haven't had the chance to read any of the books yet until now.

I'm Andrea- Sarah's friend from New York. No, I'm not actually from there- I live in Utah, but I think I still hold the title of Sarah's favorite missionary. I just got married and life is good so onto the book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I l felt like the characters were real, that the alien invasion could have possibly happened. I love how Stephenie makes fantasy seem like reality. That is what made me love the Twilight series. I felt like Edward was really running around out there. I also felt like Wanda was out there running around. And the caves weren't far out- they had a water source and farmed. A little out there, but believable.

I felt like two themes ran through the book: violence and love. I thought Stephenie clearly stated that love could overcome violence- and it did in every instance. She didn't however say that love could overcome a grudge just like with Sharon and Maggie. I didn't think they were developed enough, but I think she was showing that antagonism can develop and last if you allow it to.

I thought the book was freakishly like Eclipse. Why the love triangles? I didn't like how Wanda/Mel laid there with Ian and Jared. How she would kiss one and then the other. I didn't see how Wanda's love for Jared could possibly grow after the way he treated her. I also thought she should've been able to differentiate between her emotions and Mel's. Her attachment to Jamie was understandable- he showed her love right from the beginning. I just didn't buy how much she loved Jared. It dented the Ian/Wanda relationship.

I wasn't happy with how long it was. I understand that gaining trust takes a long time, but she was in that little cave prison forever. Stephenie could have sent the boys on a raid just days after she was there. The story had a little drag in the middle and at the end when Wanda thought she was going to die and was thinking through everything. I admit I skipped over a few parts just to get there.

I also wanted to see Melanie's and Jared's reunion. If she does another book after this, I think it should be from the eyes of Melanie and that way we could see it.

A great and fast read- I would recommend this book to anyone.

The Host, The Host

2008-05-17T14:21:00.003-04:00

I finally finished The Host last night-What a ride!

I loved it, of course. Don’t shoot me Sarah, but I liked it better than the Twilight Series.
The characters are so real and so amazing. Wanda, Ian, Jeb, and Jamie, who was the only one that really was able to separate Wanda and Mel. He didn’t treat Wanda any different in her new body than when she was in Mel’s body.

This book was all about being human and it made me appreciate what I can experience as a human being on this beautiful planet we call Earth. The feel of the wind on my face, the sense of touch, seeing light and color, the bonds between ourselves and others…After wandering around 9 different planets, Wanda has finally found a place she waits to stay. And she was right when she thought perhaps because of the violence human have, the love they have is stronger than anywhere else: “Perhaps there could be no joy on this planet without an equal weight of pain to balance it out on some unknown scale” As we know, there must be opposition in all things. The only way we can experience real joy is to know pain and sorrow.

And love-being with the group in the cave, Wanda feels love towards those who should be her enemies. Wanda is the most caring, unselfish being…She was willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice so that Mel and Jared could be back together. She gave up her secret in order to save other souls, as well as humans. Doc’s words made me cry: "You are the noblest, purest creature I’ve ever met. The universe will be a darker place without you." Oh, to live such a life that that is said of us when we die!

Jeb was one of my favorite characters. He’s so rational and insightful. He’s willing to befriend an alien and the things he does for Wanda moved me. He protected her, guided her in her new life in the cave, he didn’t treat her as an outsider. And he brought humor into a dark situation. That is truly a gift!

And Ian. Ian, Ian, Ian. What can I say…I love him. He had the most amazing ability to look past what Wanda was and see who she was! Again, I think that’s something we should all do in life. We can’t judge others just because they’re different from us… Ian can see things from Wanda’s perspective, where as Jared never could. And the love Wanda and Ian have for each other is amazing-She loves him with her whole soul. I think the kiss they shared said it all: "This was easy and right, no division, no confusion, no objection, just Ian and me, the molten rock moving through this new body, melding it into the pact." Or being in Ian’s arms: "Like I’d been in agony without realizing it and his touch had taken all the hurt away." He loves her, not her body. He loves the beautiful silver soul that he held in the palm of his hand.

Lonnie :-)

Princess Academy review

2008-05-14T09:26:00.001-04:00

I finished Princess Academy. I really liked it, as I knew I would. I like how Shannon Hale wrapped things up so nicely (she does this with all of her books). I guess I am a sucker, but I love a happy ending. I do. I love things to work out in a way so that everyone gets what they truly want and everyone lives happily ever after. I’m hopeless … I know.

I like Shannon’s whimsical style of writing. It definitely was not a hard book to read – it was rather enjoyable. It’s nice to get wrapped in a story like this. I loved Miri, as a character. I agree with what Lonnie said (in an earlier post). Everyone feels lonely sometimes – but we all naively think that we are the only ones feeling that way. As Miri finds something she is good at, and something that brings her joy, she grows and becomes more confident. I truly believe that each and every person has been given some sort of a “talent” – and some talents are not quite as obvious. But everyone is given something and it’s up to each person to discover what it is – and use it to share and bless others’ lives. By doing this, we grow and develop into a more radiant person – just like Miri did.

And I loved the idea of quarry-speak. I love that Miri figured out that it works through shared memories. What a neat idea! She used the quarry-speak to save the academy girls from the bandits. She used it to help the girls on their test given by Olana. I love how she even gave the answer to Katar – even though Katar was never nice to her. And in the end, she selflessly told Britta to choose Katar as the ambassador. What a good person!

If you guys liked this book, I definitely recommend Shannon’s other books. She’s got the Bayern Series – Goose Girl, Enna Burning, and River Secrets (read them in that order). She also wrote one called Book of a Thousand Days. Then there’s Austenland – a must read for anyone who loves Pride & Prejudice and/or harbors a secret crush on Mr. Darcy. It’s quite good – and hilarious.

I love Shannon – can’t wait for her next book!

My review for "The Host"

2008-05-13T10:09:00.004-04:00

Well, I finished The Host – Stephenie Meyer’s latest book to come out. It’s not a part of the Twilight series – but it is every bit as good. The Twilight books are (supposedly) targeted for young adults – though I know MANY adults who love them – but The Host was her first book targeted to an adult audience. I thought it had a slightly different feel than the Twilight books – but brilliant. I struggled to find the words to express my feelings toward the book. It was just so GOOD.

http://scifichick.com/2008/04/28/the-host/
http://shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com/2008/04/book-review-host-stephenie-meyer.html

I posted a couple of the links of other people who have reviewed the book. I agree whole-heartedly with these reviews. One of the reviews says this: “This book has an unique story line that involves a complex love triangle and lets you feel the emotions of the characters like you are apart of the book. It will bring you on a rollercoaster of emotions involving love, betrayal, fear, and loyalty. The Host ends on a note of hope that will make everyone smile.”

Agreed! I felt all the emotions of the characters like I was a part of the book! Stephenie’s writing is very emotional. She spills out words, feelings and detailed descriptions all onto the same page at the same time. She writes in long sentences and gives lots of details – making it easy to see the dessert, the mountains and the caves she so vividly describes. Emotion pours out of the pages and seeps right into you. If you can read this book and not be touched by all the varying emotions, then you might be an alien - one of the “souls” that has invaded earth ;)

One of my favorite things about this book is it made me think about what it means to be human. The premise of the book is that humans have squandered this world in violence and so the “souls” come down to earth and inhabit the humans … and they honestly believe they are doing the humans a favor in taking over … since humans have made such a mess of things. But as Wanda (loved the nickname, by–the-way) soon discovers, humans feel varying emotions – not just violence – and they feel everything strongly.

**Okay, if you haven’t read the book, now would be a good time to stop - spoilers are ahead** Skip to the last paragraph to avoid spoilers. You have been warned.

Wanda says she has never been in any other host bodies that feel emotions so strongly – love being one of those emotions. The love Melanie feels for Jaime brought tears to my eyes and had me scrambling madly for some tissues so I could get rid of the tears that made it hard to see straight. The love that she feels for Jared – a different love – was no less powerful. I guess you could say that love is a theme that runs through the book. Melanie loves Jaime with the love a parent has for a child. She loves Jared romantically – and is put into a frenzy with just a touch. She belongs to him – and he to her. She loves the humans she is staying with in the caves – but more of a camaraderie love, instinctive just because they are all still human. In the end, she tells Wanda that she loves her (again, more tears for me) and that love is the love of a sister. So many forms of love – all because we are human and it’s in our nature to love so compassionately. We’ve been given this gift to love – and it comes so easily to us.

Wanda feels all these feelings of love that Melanie feels – and in the end she reciprocates all those loves to the humans who are around her. She chooses to end her own life so that Mel can have her body back. She shows the ultimate form of love – to give one’s life so selflessly so that others can be happy. She also recognizes her love for Ian – and that after living on 9 different planets, she has finally found someone she loves as a partner – someone she would want to stay and be with. Ultimately, it works out beautifully – with everyone finding happiness and love. I LOVED the ending. The book shares a message of hope – hope for humanity, in the sense that maybe they are not as alone as they think, and in the sense that there is hope that humanity isn’t as violent as was thought by the invading souls.

I certainly hope that Stephenie goes on with her plan to write 2 sequels to this book. It really did touch my heart – all that it means to be human came into such stronger focus for me. We are capable of awful things as humans … and yet we are capable of beautiful things, too. We have a great capacity for love – in all its forms – and great capacity for good in this world. We also have this beautiful planet to live on – with such great vistas and colors to enjoy. We also have our 5 senses – something not many species enjoy like we do. We have been given much.

Okay, I am getting a bit sappy :) This book has a beautiful story to tell – and it has romance, yes, but lots of action and suspense to keep you hooked. I thought my heart might just beat out of my chest in certain parts. The characters that Stephenie has created are striking. I whole-heartedly recommend this book. This book is fantastic.

The Host

2008-05-12T08:43:00.000-04:00

I finished The Host! Man, it was seriously fantastic. I LOVED it. I am going to write a review ... I am trying to find the right words to express just how awesome I thought it was and how much I enjoyed it. More coming soon! Has anyone else finished it?

And I started to read Princess Academy - and I can already tell that it's going to be good, too. Shannon Hale never disappoints.

The Host News and Interviews

2008-05-07T13:31:00.003-04:00

This is the last one, I promise!!! It's a review/overview of the book, for those of you still trying to decide if you want to read it.

Stephenie Meyer's The Host
By Neal Wyatt -- Library Journal, 5/6/2008 9:01:00 AM

As Lewis Carroll’s Alice so aptly points out, "What is the use of a book...without pictures or conversations?" Welcome to RA Crossroads, where books, movies, music, and other media converge and whole-collection reader’s advisory service goes where it may. In this column, Stephenie Meyer's The Host leads me down a winding path.

Have you ever read something and been simply consumed by it? Not doing what needs to be done, just skipping everything else to read until the book ends? That just happened to me with Stephenie Meyer’s The Host, out today from Little, Brown.

The phenomenally popular YA author's first book written for adults (or so the book’s PR says—teens are going to devour it, too) riffs on classic alien invasion motifs. The human race serves as hosts for alien souls. Once breached, the human is lost, subsumed by the alien’s consciousness. When Melanie Stryder is captured and implanted, she refuses to give up, fighting the soul named Wanderer from possessing her body.

The story is immediately consuming as it shifts perspectives between Melanie and Wanderer; the adventure, romance, and survival ethoses blend beautifully. It is an experience that deserves a festival all to itself. Meyer only dabbles in alien v. human adrenaline—for more of that, plus the scary alien factor and the rocket fuel rush The Host conjurs, you're going to have to head straight to the movies. Start with Invasion of the B ody Snatchers and The War of the Worlds and then reload the popcorn and watch They Live, The Day the Earth Stood Still, and the TV series V.

In terms of books, if you want to stay in the sf world, consider Robert A. Heinlein's Puppet Masters for its adventure and science, Robert J. Sawyer's Mindscan for its consideration of identity, and Sheri S. Tepper's The Margarets as an intriguing take on Wanderer.

However, for readers who came to The Host because of their love of Bella and Edward (the stars of Meyer’s "Twilight" vampire series), Heinlein and Sawyer are not going to work. Too many sharp corners and not enough mood.

The thing is, The Host's addictive quality derives not from the alien occupation idea. It is the relationship between Melanie and Wanderer, the revelation of Wanderer’s character, the depth of plot, the compulsive pacing, and the deep attachments that keep the story simmering.

Meyer's breakout is going to be the sf book for readers who don’t think they like sf.

For similar character, tone, and detail, as well as heroics and moments of pitch-perfect dialog and s cene, try two other big, addictive, and groundbreaking books: Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander and Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. They both share elements of genre blending, pure storytelling genius, adventure, deep and detailed internal landscapes, and characters you want to jump into the book and meet.

Meyer is hinting at continuing the story line of The Host—readers can only hope she means it and that they will be twice as long.

© 2008, Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Lonnie :-)

The Host News and Interviews

2008-05-07T13:19:00.004-04:00

I found this interview that Library Journal did with Stephenie on Monday and wanted to share it. (For some reason the link won't work, so I just copied and pasted the whole thing for you to read)

LJ Talks To Stephenie Meyer
Patricia Altner -- Library Journal, 5/5/2008 7:29:00 AM
Stephenie Meyer’s wildly popular young adult “Twilight Saga” series, which centers on the strong bond between a teenage girl, her vampire boyfriend, and his family, has sold over three million books in the Unite d States in just two years. Recently named one of Time magazine’s100 Most Influential People of 2008, the author has now written her first novel for adults. Blending science fiction with romance, The Host revolves around a most unusual love triangle involving only two bodies. Meyers brings to this tale the same intensity of her YA series in exploring what makes all of us, alien or otherwise, human. For more on The Host, check out Neal Wyatt's RA Crossroads No. 4.

You are well-known for your YA series. Why did you decide to write an adult novel? How does this differ from writing for teenagers?
Like the “Twilight Saga” (this is probably the only way The Host is like the series!), this was just a story I had fun telling myself. My personal entertainment is always the key to why a story gets finished. I never think about another audience besides myself while I’m writing; that can wait for the editing stage.

What inspired the story of The Host?
I was driving from Phoenix to Salt Lake City through some of the most dreary and repetitive desert in the world. It’s a drive I’ve made many times, and one of the ways I keep from going insane is by telling myself stories. I have no idea what sparked the strange foundation of a body-snatching alien in love with the host body’s boyfriend over the host-body’s objections. I was halfway into the story before I realized it. Once I got started, though, the story immediately demanded my attention. I could tell there was something compelling in the idea of such a complicated triangle. I started writing the outline in a notebook, and then fleshed it out as soon as I got to a computer. The Host was supposed to be no more than a side project—something to keep me busy between editing stints on Eclipse[the latest “Twilight” title]—but it turned into something I couldn’t step away from until it was done.

What type of research did you do for this novel?
One of the advantages of fantasy is that research rarely applies. I created most of this world straight from my imagination. The main setting is the desert, which is home for me.

In The Host and the “Twilight” series you describe so eloquently the pain of love and the meaning of friendship. Why are these themes important to you?
Aren’t these themes important to everyone? Like a lot of writers, I find myself drawn to themes that are deeply human, and The Host, though written from an alien perspective, is no exception.

The characters of Melanie and Wanderer are very different. How were you able to make them come so completely to life even though they share the same physical body?
Wanderer and Melanie were very distinct personalities to me from day one; keeping them separate was never an issue. Melanie is the victim—she’s the one that we, as humans, should identify with; at the same time, she is not always the more admirable character. She can be angry and violent and ruthless. Wanderer is the attacker, the thief. She is not like us, not even a member of our species. However, she is someone that I, at least, wish I was more like. She’s a better person than Melanie in a lot of ways, and yet a weaker person. The differences between the two main characters are the whole point of the story. If they weren’t so distinct, there would have been no reason to write it.

What is your writing environment like?
I have an open office in the middle of the house. This can be pretty chaotic, but I like my kids to be able to see me, and know I’m there if they need something. Also, I can’t concentrate if I don’t know what they’re up to.

What writers inspire you?
Jane Austen, William Shakespeare, and Orson Scott Card. I can’t go through a year without re-reading Austen. Shakespeare and Orson Scott Card— whose styles, oddly enough, have a lot in common—are the bar that I try to reach. Both of these writers put their characters in fantastic, impossible situations. Then they make those characters so human, their reactions so real, that we instinctively know that we would respond just the same way if that situation ended up being possible after all—if there really were fairies wandering around sprinkling love dust on our eyes or if we really were at war with alien space bugs. The stories are perfectly true to human nature, despite the fantasy element.

© 2008, Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Lonnie :-)

Early Post for Princess Academy

2008-05-07T13:15:00.001-04:00

First, I have to confess that this is the first book I’ve read for our Book Club. I had already read Angels and Demons and I’m one of those who can’t reread a book. I tried, I really did! Then, I started to read Beloved, but two pages into I put down. It just wasn’t my cup of tea. So, I was excited when Sarah said we were reading Princess Academy-a new book for me and by an author I like! So, here are some of my ramblings on the book:

I got the book on May 2nd and finished on May 3rd. It was a nice quick read for me but one full of life lessons on love and family, feeling useful and accepted, the importance of communication, the power of memories, courage, ect. Even though the first half of the story was a little slow for me, I thought the second half was exciting and suspenseful. I loved the ending,-I thought everything worked out just the way it should.

In the beginning, Miri felt lonely, but she was always pretending she didn’t care when she was left out of things. At one point Miri comes to realize that she isn’t the only one that feels lonely-Britta does, Karta does. It’s a universal feeling. I could also relate to Miri feelings of being small and useless. I’ve felt that way in my own life, wishing that I could be better or do better at something. It was amazing to see how Miri grew and became confident in herself. When she learned to read and was able to help her village with the traders she finally felt useful. It just goes to show that we can’t all do everything. We all have our own special talents and abilities. We all have to find our own place in this world, our destiny, something we were meant to do.

The words of the book are poetic and flowing, full of truth and wisdom. There is such beautiful imagery in the following phrases:
"A promise of something different. A place to go, a chance to move forward."
"Let it all slide out. Unhappiness can’t stick in a person’s should when it’s slick with tears."
"If Miri’s wings are free, what will she do now?"

Finally, I loved all the scenes with Miri and Peder and he’s probably my favorite character. I love that Mini had such a connection with him. He was the one to receive her quarry-speak cry for help.

Lonnie :-)

"Twilight" movie!!

2008-05-07T11:27:00.002-04:00

For all you "Twilight" fans out there ... I just had to post this. It's a trailer to the movie, along with a movie poster. It looks AMAZING! I seriously wanted to just die of excitement ...
http://moviesblog.mtv.com/?s=twilight

May's books

2008-04-28T13:54:00.009-04:00

Greetings all! Awesome posts for Beloved (Carly and Michelle) – thank you!! It looks like not that many people read Beloved - I don't know if it was too hard of a book or just poor timing since everyone was really busy - so - for the month of May we are going to read something easier and more light-hearted. I've picked 2 books - you can read one, none, or both – it’s totally up to you.

Book one – Princess Academy by Shannon Hale. She is an author that I really like and I think a lot of you will enjoy her books. You can read about the book here:

http://www.squeetus.com/stage/books_academy.html

And try not to be turned off by the description – I got one of her other books from the library (Goose Girl) on a recommendation – but when I read the book’s teaser I decided I didn’t want to read the book – it sounded too fanciful for my tastes. I eventually gave in and read it (mostly because I had nothing else to read and I was sooo bored). Now I am happy to say that I loved it and promptly went out and got the other 2 books to complete the series. So … give this one a try. You might like it. And I think it has the potential to lead to some good discussion.

Book two – The Host by Stephenie Meyer. This book is being released on May 6^th. You can read about the book here:

http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/thehost.html

I am going to be useless at work all day, I’m sure, then as soon as it’s 4:00 I’m running to the nearest bookstore to purchase this book. I read the excerpt for the book that it teases on her website and I was hooked. Normally I don’t do sci-fi … but it’s Stephenie! And to be honest – it looks really good. I would love to have a discussion about the book when I’m done – that’s why I am inviting all of you to read it with me.

We'll try to have the books done by the end of the month - around May 26th or so to allow time for discussion. As always, the "deadline" is a fluid concept, so if we need to adjust the date, we can.

Happy reading to all! And happy spring, too! I love this time of the year!

It's a BOY!!

2008-04-15T15:48:00.002-04:00

Here is Preston Thomas Jamison. He was born on April 11th and weighed in at 8 lbs 1 oz and 20.5 inches long. He is adorable and we are so happy to have another family member! Dave is excited to have the numbers even and Hailey is loving being a big sister!

More on Beloved

2008-04-09T00:37:00.003-04:00

I was intrigued by Toni Morrison's way of presenting this story. Just when you thought you had a handle on what may have happened, another flashback will come and give you more of the picture. That's part of what kept me reading. I rarely felt like I'd heard all the details so I had to keep going to find out what had really happened. (That's why I also avoided reading the summaries Sarah had linked to until I finished the book - I wanted to read and draw my own conclusions before I had it handed to me. But the links were great after I'd finished the book!)

I also thought Morrison was very subtle in telling her story while at the same time presenting so many different topics to the reader. At the very beginning she gives a description of Sweet Home that sort of summed up a major theme of the book for me, that things aren't always how they seem. "It never looked as terrible as it was and it make her wonder if hell was a pretty place too. Fire and brimstone all right, but hidden in lacy groves" (page 6). (And don't you think hell probably is really like that? Deceiving?)

There are many themes running through the book that we could discuss; in the interest of length I think I'll only touch on one more here and perhaps save the others for another post. It is sad to think of what people are capable of doing to other people. The animal theme ran throughout the book. Sethe and other slaves were treated, spoken of, valued like animals. The schoolteacher not only referred to her as "the breeding one" and her babies as "foals" but also had his pupils list the animal characteristics of slaves. In the case of people like Amy Denver, talking about and seeing slaves as animals may purely be the result of education and environment. That's all she's ever seen or heard; she doesn't treat Sethe like an animal though, helping her with the birth of her baby and caring for Sethe's wounds. But I wonder if some of the other people, and perhaps how it all started in the first place, decide that slaves are like animals simply to excuse or justify their behavior. In order to make it okay to treat a person so cruelly, they have to dehumanize the slaves or servants. So instead of employing an actual person, an animal is used to do the work, making the slaveowner feel a little more at ease with whipping or overworking or whatever. (Not that cruelty to animals is okay. Calm down PETA!)

Any one else have any thoughts along these lines? Or on any other theme?

-Carly

Thoughts on Beloved

2008-03-28T15:57:00.002-04:00

I have been having contractions over the past week and I am getting nervous that the baby will come before the book deadline and then I will miss out on the whole discussion! For those of you who have not read past the first about 50 pages don't read on or I will spoil it for you. I went to a play last night called "Civil War" and the whole time I was thinking of how much that story correlates to Beloved that we are reading. In the book Sethe thinks that the Master has shown up at her house, so she takes her children out to the wood shed to kill them because she is so passionate about protecting her children and not alllowing them to be put into slavery like she was. It would be better for them to die than to live that life. I cannot imagine, as a mother myself, how Sethe must have felt to get to the point that she was willing to take the life of her children to protect them from the life of a slave. In the play last night it talked about the war our country went through all in the name of freedom for the Negros. There were 240,000 white men that died fighting for the cause of an equal rights for all men. Sethe decided to take matters into her own hands and stop slavery in her family. I cannot imagine living in fear of being taken back to Sweet Home, or of getting turned in for a cash reward since you escaped from your Master. ALways looking over your shoulder and never knowing if you were going to be safe. There are so many things that living in this country at this time, I know I take for granted. Waling down the street by myself, giving birth to my children in a hospital and not in a field. I don't have to worry about being traded as a slave to someone and having to succomb to all their needs and whims they desire. I guess as I am reading this, I am realizing that this life is so much more than just myself. We are so connected to the past. I have such a greater appreciation for our freedom and for those who went before and fought for the rights that we enjoy everyday, but at times forget they were even fought for becuase they are so commonplace now. Anyhow, that is enough of my soapbox for now. I am interested to know what others have to say...
--Michelle Jamison

Beloved Deadline

2008-03-25T18:44:00.003-04:00

Hello Everyone!

I know we are all super busy with everything that we have going on and since Beloved tends to be a little bit more on the heavier side of reading, what are your thoughts on extending the deadline? Maybe just a couple of extra weeks? I love what Sarah did with the links. I know they will definitely help me to get through the book.

I typically enjoy reading just for escape reading. Which is why books like Twilight, Angels and Demons and Harry Potter are great books to read. But I joined this book club to help expand my reading choices. So books like Beloved are perfect for what I'm trying to accomplish. Sarah, I promise to read the book and have some good discussion about as we go along!

Some help

2008-03-25T14:36:00.005-04:00

Since this is a harder book to read, Mable suggested that I post a couple of websites that will help out. So ... see below:

http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/LitNote/Beloved-About-the-Novel-A-Brief-Synopsis.id-32,pageNum-4.html
http://www.answers.com/topic/beloved-novel-2
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/beloved/summary.html

You can browse around and read about the characters, a synopsis of the story, and chapter by chapter analysis. (I found the Spark Notes site particularly helpful while looking for a summary.) Even if you haven't read the book (or don't plan on reading it), it might be worth reading the synopsis to get a feel for the book and the themes. You can still participate in the online discussion having just read the synopses. Good luck with the reading and feel free to post stuff as you go along - like if you are having a hard time with a particular section, you can post your thoughts and see if anyone else has any comments. Posting doesn't have to wait until you get to the end of the book for you to write some thoughts or feelings. You can post as you go along. Happy reading!

~Sarah

How we doing?

2008-03-24T12:49:00.001-04:00

People in the book club are telling me that they are having a hard time getting through Beloved. Or they are telling me that they haven’t read it all and don’t plan on it. Has anyone finished it? Or is anyone having any success in reading it?

Also – once again, I am looking for book suggestions for April. Let me know (or post a comment) if you have any ideas. Thanks!

~Sarah

News on Harry Potter

2008-03-13T09:39:00.002-04:00

Hey, I read on CNN that the producers are going to split the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows movie into 2 separate movies. (see http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/13/harry.potter.ap/index.html)

So … anyone have any thoughts on where they will split the movie? What’s going to be in part 1 and what will be in part 2? Do you like the idea of splitting the book into 2 movies? Or not? Thoughts anyone? November 2010 does seem rather far away … but it’s never too early to speculate when it comes to Harry Potter!!

~Sarah

About "Beloved"

2008-03-11T15:57:00.001-04:00

Just a small bit of warning -- this book is about slavery and other weighty topics -- it is definitely not considered “light” reading. I don’t want anyone saying they didn’t know what they were getting into -- so for a synopsis of the book, check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beloved_%28novel%29
~Sarah

Thoughts on Angels and Demons

2008-03-04T15:02:00.002-05:00

Okay, so I was really looking forward to see what everyone would have to say about the book and I checked 3 times yesterday to see with no luck! So I guess that I will have to start. ( I finished the book and returned it to the library about 2 weeks ago, so I apologize that I can't give you page numbers or references and will probably be spelling names wrong. )
There was a discussion about Religion that really got me thinking. Robert and Vittoria were on the plane and she asked if he believed in God. And his response was one that I thought was perfectly acceptable, and yet she turned it around to more of a hands on "God". It got me thinking about what I believe and how God is truly into everything in my life. Even if I don't understand particle seperation, antimatter,etc...it is all such a complex networking of life that all connects and just works, I don't have to think about it, it really just happens.
But I do have one thing that just pushed me over the edge and made me think...ummm you had me until that! So Robert is all over the city all in one day and night, running, solving all the clues (those made my brain hurt to try to wrap my mind around all of the info) and doing all of these amazing super human stunts, and then he gets in the helicopter, the only way to survive is to jump...he is falling from a high elevation into the black nothingness of the Vatican and he is using the the shield cover from the helicopter and miraculously he survives...you had me until that! Not that I wanted him to die, I really did fall in love with the character and got to the point that one day as I was letting my mind wander I thought; "I wonder if I could take an online course in Symbology from Robert Langdon, I am sure that he is popular enugh that he would be online..." And then I snapped back into reality and remembered that this was a book, a well written book since it became part of my reality.
I have to get to work, so I will stop there for now. But I am loving this whole reading thing. I look forward to what everyone else has to say!
--Michelle Jamison

I'll go first

2008-03-04T14:55:00.005-05:00

It seems to me like no one wants to be the first to post anything for discussion. So I guess I'll go. I don't really have anything all that intellectual to discuss - being the mom of three kids under the age of four, I don't have the energy for intellectual. But here are two points that I've been thinking about.

Science vs. Religion: This was a theme running throughout the book. Whether science and religion worked together or opposed each other. I, personally, am in agreement with Galileo. In the book it says that Galileo believed that science reinforced the existence of God, rather than undermining His existence. I believe that too. For example, the more I learn about the human body, how it functions, protects itself, sustains itself, works together with all its systems, creates new life, adapts...the more impossible I find it NOT to believe in God. There is no way all of that occurred by accident. The world too is a testament to the existence of a Supreme Creator. I could cite scriptural references as well, but I'll leave that for now.

Successors: Another thing that interested me was the way in which a new pope is selected in the Catholic Church. The first time I read Angels and Demons was just before Pope John Paul II died - when was that, 2005? It was interesting to watch the news coverage of a conclave and see how political a process that was, in spite of people saying that it was "God's choice." It really is an election and political ritual, as described by Dan Brown. On page 123, he writes that a conclave is a politically charged atmosphere and that "over the centuries they had turned deadly; poisonings, fist fights, and even murder had erupted within the sacred walls."

Compare that with the ease in the change of leadership of the LDS church. As we just experienced at the beginning of February, there is no political discussion, no vying for position, no campaigning, no disagreement, no ballotting or election at all. As outlined by revelation from the Lord, the senior-most apostle always becomes the next prophet. And who is the senior-most apostle at the time a current prophet passes away is also dictated by the Lord, as He controls how long any one of the brethren holds his calling. I don't know for certain, but I think it's fairly safe to say that it is a position that is not sought after, a responsibility that any of the brethren would really prefer not to have. There is no disagreement among the leaders about it. Who leads the LDS Church as prophet truly is chosen by the Lord. Isn't that so much easier?

Okay. That's all I have to say at the moment. You can't read this book and expect to not have a religious discussion. I suspect that most of you are also LDS, so you probably feel somewhat the same.

-Carly

Next book

2008-03-04T09:50:00.005-05:00

Our next book assignment is going to be Beloved. It’s written by Toni Morrison. You’ll have until Monday March 31st to finish it – then the discussion can begin. I’m hoping we get a lot of discussion -– this one is a 1987 Pulitzer Prize winner and was voted by the New York Times as the best works of American fiction of the past 25 years. It’s written by an African-American woman and the theme of the book revolves around slavery. It looks good – and it looks like it will be one that will prompt a lot of stimulating conversation on the blog.

Speaking of the blog –- there is no discussion going on from finishing Angels and Demons. I know that everyone is very busy … but the idea of the book club is to read a book, then discuss it … in our case, by posting something on the blog. So please go in and write something about Angles & Demons. I don’t think everyone is checking the blog nearly enough -– try to check it once a week (or so) for updates, etc. And write some stuff! You can post your feelings about Angels and Demons over the next few weeks, while you are getting started into reading Beloved.

Happy reading!! Thanks everyone!!

~Sarah

Breaking Dawn!! AAAAAAAAAHHH!

2008-02-07T08:18:00.000-05:00

The official release date for Breaking Dawn will be Saturday August 2, 2008!!!! Check out Stephenie's website http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/ for any more details. This is the best news I've heard all week! DANG - I AM SO EXCITED I AM BOUNCING IN MY CHAIR!!! Can't wait for August!!! And she also says that on Valentine's Day, she will be posting a chapter from her book The Host (coming out May 6th) on her website. It looks good, too.
~Sarah

Ready, set, go!

2008-02-05T08:45:00.000-05:00

Okay since no one else has made any suggestions, we are going to go with Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. You have approximately one month to read the book. You have until Monday March 3rd to finish the book. Just FYI - in my paperback copy there's 579 pages - divided by 27 days - you should be reading roughly 21 pages every day to get done by March 3rd - that leaves it up to you to pace yourself. I think having a month to read one book (as suggested) should work well ... but if not, then we can tweak things for our next book. If anyone has thoughts as you are reading the book, feel free to post them so we can all comment on them. Happy reading!!
~Sarah

p.s. I know more of you have read the Twilight books ... I want your ideas :) Go post a comment.