A Swiftly Tilting Planet Discussion

I really enjoyed reading this book. All of her books in the Time series have been wonderful, so far as I have read.

1. If any haven't read the first 2 books, did you find any of the allusions to the first two books confusing, or were you able to stay with the story?

Having read the first 2 books, I didn't find the references to the first two books confusing. I also don't think that it would be confusing to someone who hasn't read them. They were there but you didn't need to know the stories to understand this one. It could stand as it's own.

2. How do you feel about the main premise of the book, Charles Wallace's search for the 'might have been', the one thing he could change in the past to completely alter the future?

I think it is totally possible to have one moment where you could venture down one path or another and completely change your future. Would it be cool to be able to go back and change something in the past, definitely, but I would have to be rock bottom bad to do that. I'd be afraid to do that now, I really like my life and the choices I made led me here, so I wouldn't want to change anything.

3. Anybody else have questions? My head is still stuffed up and I can't think.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

PS, Lisa, I think we should do an open call for whomever wants to host. I know I will need a couple months 'off' for my move. Anybody up for February?

Merry Christmas to All

Hi all - Just wanted to say Merry Christmas. Also, I was wondering if we have any kind of schedule for the year yet? I know we are taking January off, but who has Feb and so on? Just trying to get a heads up on when I go next :).

And Cat, I loved the book for this month and look forward to discussing it :).

Merry Christmas!

I just thought I would wish you all a merry christmas. I have really enjoyed the opportunity to read and discuss wonderful books with everyone. Thanks!

December Book

Sorry I am slacking. I am the December host this month and I think a good book to read is A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L'Engle. It is the third in her Time Quintet but the books for the most part stand on their own. I started it last night and it starts with Thanksgiving dinner so I think it is seasonally appropriate. Sorry for no picture, I will do that later. I'm doing this at work. :O

I will probably post the questions sometime before Christmas, my December is shaping up to be a busy one and I will have company over through New Year's.

I hope everyone enjoys the book!!

December?

I forgot what are we reading for December, I know it is in an old post but didn't want to search through everything and figured this would be a quicker way. Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving.

Discussion

Man I totally just realized I needed to post the discussion questions last week, I hope everyone enjoyed the book as much as I did. I was so glad to reread the book and also have a little break from intense reading here lately. Coming up with questions is not my strong point, so I borrowed others. So here goes...

1.Do you think the novel is a tale of redemption, despair, or both? Discuss the novel's meaning to you.

I think the novel is a mixture, I wish Heathcliff and Catherine could have been together, but understand why things happened the way they did. Class was such a big deal back then and Heathcliff was really given the tough deal. I think Catherine and Heathcliff marry others out of necessity and not true love. I think Heathcliff lives his life in despair after Catherine's death and they both torment each other with their unrequited love. This novel is one of my favorites, the depth of love and the description Emily Bronte uses to describe the moors makes me want to travel back and see more of the country side.

2. Do you think Bronte succeeds in creating three-dimensional figures in
Heathcliff and Cathy, particularly given their larger-than-life metaphysical passion? Why or why not?

I think she does a wonderful job, I can really feel their emotions and the depth of their feelings for each other and their physical yurning for each other in the afterlife.

3. Do you pity Edgar Linton or feel he can't help loving Catherine, just as she and Heathcliff can't help loving each other?

I feel he loves his wife, but doesn't understand why she is in love with another man and can do nothing to stop that. Obviously divorces were unheard of, so he loved her as best he could. He in no way compares to Heathcliff to me, who yes can be overly dramatic and cruel...but something about him still pulls me in. I think it's his passion is everything he does, his feelings for Catherine...his sadness and shear insanity after her death, if he does something it's to the fullest.

4. Ok anyone else have any questions? Feel free to post below or just give your feelings on the book in general. Happy Thanksgiving!

One more...

Anyone have any good Christmas books to recommend? My kids are really excited about Christmas this year and we've been reading different stories...they vary in length and level of difficulty. I am asking to get new ideas into the mix and not read the same 4 books over and over.

Twilight

I am not sure about everywhere else but here in Washington state I was able to pre-purchase my ticket to see twilight for the first show at 12:01! I got it from fandago, so check it out if you want to make sure you are there.

Has anyone else read the new Christopher Paolini book? I think he is a good author although I found some of the chapters really graphic in the battle descriptions. It's good though. A little slow in some spots, but the end moves and grooves and then ends!!! Hello! Book 4? I only hope it comes faster than this one.

November book

I have been really slack with getting this book up here, I was debating between two books; Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez was the one I wanted to read but a lot of other reviews said it was too racy and had some vulgur language. I decided against that one and figured that one would be better read on my own to see if I liked it. I didn't want to offend anyone with that choice and figured go with a safer classic since we all seem to be so caught up with life here lately. So I decided on Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. I love this book and haven't read it in about 9 years and would love the chance to reread this classic. I hope everyone approves and happy reading.

The Five Love Languages

So Ladies, I hope you all enjoyed this book. I think it is an interesting one that allows me to look inward and see where I am meeting the needs of my family as well as where my needs are being met.

Did you agree with the author's idea of 5 main love languages?
I did. It's funny since I read this a few years ago, I had a lot of fun giving my impression of what my families love languages were and finding out what they thought. Most of the time, I was reading them as something they weren't so it was great to find their needs and ways to show them love in their language.

Was it easy to figure out your love language?
Mine was really obvious. I feel love through service and I give love through service. It felt like I am so far to the one side, that I need to learn to feel and give love in other ways as well. I have always thought that my mom was one to feel love through gifts, because that is how she shows love. I found out that her love language is quality time, but as a child her family showed love through gifts and so that's how she learned to show love. I think it is really interesting how family environment affects love language. It has made me much more aware of how I am raising my children. I want more than ever to make sure that I am loving them in their language.

Has this been a book that has helped or hindered you?

My friend read this book at the same time and we were discussing it. She was not a fan. She said it's a great book, but I feel so frustrated. My husband is not a reader and so it's tough to know we aren't speaking each other's love language and there is not chance that he will read the book and understand that! I on the other hand had some great discussions with my husband. We were able to discuss our differences and where our needs weren't being met. We also talked a lot about trying to show love in all the languages, and allowing the kids to really find the way that they responded on their own.

Feel free to share any other comments you might have. I loved how he said to imagine each of us with a love tank. When Morgan and I first read the book, we realized that the terrible two's were tough, yes, but that a lot of that was that we were not refilling our kids love tanks. They were acting out for attention of any kind. It really made me more aware of them and gave me a great visual to keep me thinking of what I could do to fill that tank!

Practical Magic????

Anyone going to participate in the Practical Magic discussion? I guess I buried it by placing the Inkheart trailer above it, but it really is down there. Would love to hear your thoughts.

Melissa

Official Inkheart Movie trailer

Just found this today. I love this book! And the movie looks like it might be pretty good - who doesn't like Brendan Frasier and Helen Mirren? You can tell the plot is a little different from the book, but I'm excited anyway. Good story. Has anyone else read it? Cat, I think you have -right?

Practical Magic discussion

Hi Everyone! Sorry I'm posting so late, but at least it is still September. I've been out of town for a family funeral and life has been pretty crazy. I hope you all enjoyed "Practical Magic."

Questions
1.) What did you think of the book in comparison to the movie?

2.) Who was your favorite character?

3.) What did you think of Alice Hoffman's writing style? (And tell us if you've read any other books by her.)

4.) Do you have a favorite scene from the book?

My answers:
1.) I read several reviews where people said this is the only book they've read where the movie was better. I hate to admit that about a book, but I do see their point. But to standby books, I think this story stands on it's own as a book and as a movie. They changed a few of the characters and plot for the movie, so you can enjoy both as unique. (The daughters are younger in the movie, they all live at the aunts house, etc..) However, I will say that I probably will only read the book once, but I could watch the movie multiple times.

2.) I wish we saw more of the aunts in the book! I really wanted to read more about them. The nieces got on my nerves, but I really liked the daughters. Especially the youngest - although I can't remember her name now.

3.) This is the only Alice Hoffman book I've read to date. I enjoy how she starts each chapter of Practical Magic with a little piece of magic folklore and then slowly weaves it into the storyline. I think it was effective in creating a place where magic feels like it could exist and still be a story in a modern day.

4.) I liked any time the youngest daughter (Was her name Callie?) notices weird things about the lilac bush - like seeing the dead guy under it, having the toad bring her the ring, or knowing he is the reason for the tension in her house.

Too Many Good Books!

The votes are in and our book for October is the Five Love Languages. We'll go with the adult one (there's one on children as well but once you read the first it's basically the same thing). There are so many good books out there. It's hard to choose just one, so thanks for your help ladies! Looking forward to the September discussion.

Practical Magic

Happy September!

I chose a book that I guess should be done in October, but oh well. This month we'll read "Practical Magic" by Alice Hoffman. I've wanted to read it since I found that it was the inspiration for the movie with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. Lisa previewed it for us and there are a few pages you might want to skip, but hopefully we will enjoy it otherwise.

If you are in Savannah, this is also the book we are doing for our on-site book club.

Book choice

I cannot remember which month is mine, I believe it is November? I am still trying to decide my choice, I have a number 1 choice and need to do more research to see if it is appropriate.

quick vote

I have a few ideas for books for October and thought I would gather some opinions.

1: The Five Love Languages Chapman
2: The Secret Garden
3: To Kill a Mockingbird
4: Where the Red Fern Grows
5: A Good Earth

I know there are lots of good books out there, but these are a few on my list that I thought might make for a good read. Leave your vote~

The Man of the Forest Discussion

This is a few days early, I know, but I will be a little busy in the next few days and didn't want to forget, so if you haven't finished yet, no worries.

I hope you all loved The Man of the Forest as much as I love it. I read it for the first time when I was ten, and even though I probably missed a lot, I was instantly drawn into this story. I loved that it was about sisters, romance, and good vs. evil, etc. Every time I read it, I get more from it. Here are my questions, and when you answer them, feel free to add one of your own :).

What was your most memorable or favorite scene from the book?

Even though there were so many great ones to choose from, I loved so many, but the scene where Al comes to get the girls in paradise Park and asks Bo about the cowboy "Las Vegas," was one of my favorites. I just loved how this strong cowboy was so shy and at a loss, and how funny the whole situation seemed to outsiders. In fact, I liked most every scene with this cowboy in it :).

Nineteen of Grey's westerns are set in the twentieth century. He mixes contemporary events such as World War I, revolutions in Mexico, large-scale dam construction, and increasing automobile use with traditional frontier elements. He suggests not only that the frontier was intact in some places but also that it could be safely visited because heroes resided there to protect innocent travelers (ZGWS). Part of this, he does through his cowboys like Carmichael, who lived most of their life as gunslingers standing up to evil. (You especially see this in his book Nevada) Helen always seemed to have a problem with this violence, but do you think this type of action was necessary for the settlement of the West?

Granted, I didn't live during this time, but from all I have ever read about it, if there hadn't been those strong heroes who were willing to sacrifice everything to stand up for the right, then settling the West would have been much harder. And although I think it is sad it had to come to bloodshed, I feel it was necessary.

Zane Grey wrote fantastic descriptions of the West, and his descriptions of western landscapes rank among the most striking ever written and are still valued for their ability to capture the character of places. What did you think of his descriptions?

Every time I read a Zane Grey novel I find myself longing for my home in the West. I was born in Arizona, raised wandering the mountains and deserts of Nevada, and spent many years in Idaho and Utah. I feel like his descriptions are very authentic and remind me of times I have been out in the wilderness and really felt close to nature. I especially loved how close to nature they got in Paradise Park. Although I don't think I could have lived that lonely life, I can appreciate it.

That said, there are many times when I completely skim over the descriptions, because as good as they are, there are a lot of them. I do think his descriptions were perfect for the time when there was no TV, Internet, and limited travel, and so this was the only way most people would experience these places.

Bo and Helen adjusted to their new life in the West very differently. Which of them do think you would most be like and why? Do you think either of their actions was better than the other?

As much as I think I would probably be like Helen - I think too much - I wish I could be free like Bo. Although Bo got into trouble at times because of her quick adjustment into their new life, I love how easily she let herself become one with the lifestyle and the place. I think they both did their best, but I think sometimes Helen let her sensibilities get in the way of letting people do what needed to be done.

Back on track!

Phew, the summer travels are over and I am back on track. I'm excited to share my readings. I have been reading a book called "A Thomas Jefferson Education" It is fantastic. (I am hoping to be able to use this method to homeschool my children this year) Anyway, it talks about learning through the classics and challenges the way you read. I decided to tackle Wuthering Heights. I know I should have read it ages ago, but I don't particularly like depressing stories. Though it is not a favorite, I found it entertaining and really can't stand Heathcliff. I feel sorry for him to have had so little love shown him and to have immersed all his love in one person. He missed out on what could have been a very joyful life! I have also just finished Old Yeller. What a great book. I am planning on comparing it to Where the Red Fern Grows and Because of Wynn Dixie. It's fun to go back and hit the children's classics occasionally. They have so much to offer and I needed to learn a few things. Lastly I am finishing Mothering With Spiritual Power and have loved it. What a great book. I think I really needed it. I hope you have all had a super summer. I'm excited to read a Zane Grey!

Anna Karenina for July

This was my book for the month, and it literally took a month to read, at 749 pages. I think that the story was a great one, semi sad ending though. I kind of felt that Anna even though she followed her heart and did what she felt was best for herself, that she deserved the paranoia and heartache. Her ending was the only one that would have fit in the time the book was written and the situation she was in. I was very happy about Kity and Levin's ending it was perfect. I didn't love all the politically conversations though they were boring and a bit confusing for me. I liked the book and although I wouldn't read it again since it occupied half my summer; I would recommend it to others. It is a classic and well written.

What I read in July . . .

I know we didn't have a July book, and so we were all going to share what we read this month, so I am sharing . . .

The Changeling Sea, by Patricia McKillip: I really enjoyed this creative fantasy. I especially loved the main character, Peri (short for Periwinkle). She was strong, loyal, and did not give up on life, although all those she loved had been lost to the sea in one way or the other.

The only thing that I didn't like as much was that the romance in it was a little disappointing. Although Peri was believable in her love, it was harder for me to buy the Prince's performance. And although his reactions were understandable given the story, it didn't stop me from wanting him to show her more affection.

All and all, a very sweet and enchanting read about magic, love, and saying good bye.

PS. I can't wait to hear what you all read. Oh, and have fun reading our August book :).

Unofficial July Book: Eclipse

Did anybody read Eclipse? I did. (Boy, this sounds familiar.)

I think it is my favorite so far, mostly b/c Bella seems to grow up finally. I liked that there was more Edward in it although he was freakishly, even if understandably, controlling in the beginning. I was glad that Bella figured out a way to see her friend, didn't lie to her boyfriend but didn't let him control her. Even if it did backfire on her, but what can you expect. I am a firm believer in girls and guys can't just be friends. One will always want more than the other or it could end up like it did in Eclipse, when she is making out with Jacob. Which leads Jacob to think the wrong thing and probably had a lot to do with his decision in the end.

Some questions:
Do you think girls and guys can be just friends, or in Bella's case, think she can still be friends with Jacob even though she knows of his feelings for her?

Did you feel Edward was to controlling at the beginning? Too much of a pansy at the end? How did you feel about his whole, take the high road stance with regards to Bella and Jacob?

Do you want a yellow Porsche like what Alice got? (I do. But I don't want to have to pay for it or the gas. And maybe in black, or silver, I'm not a yellow car person.)

Do you think Bella is going to be changed? Why or Why not? (She better. I have a feeling that she won't be b/c Stephenie Meyer said that Bella's story was done, so unless she covers how they hide her transformation from her family in Breaking Dawn, but I have a feeling it doesn't happen. I really want her too though.)

Any other questions, my brain is feeling fried recently (too little sleep), shoot...

August Book

Hi girls,

I just thought I would give you the info for our August book now, since I know most of you will be reading Breaking Dawn in August, and so might want to get a jump on getting/reading this month's book, The Man of the Forest, by Zane Grey.

If you can't find it at your library, I found some super cheap ones at Amazon, or they have the entire book on Google Books (if you don't mind reading it off you computer), and if you are like me and want the old hardback version, ebay is a great place :).

I am so super excited to read this again, as it has been years since I picked it up, but it is one of my very favorite Zane Grey books. For those of you who don't know much about him or his books, this is a great site: Zane Grey's West Society.

And I guess that is all, until our discussion on August 26th :). Happy reading!

Entertainment Weekly

This weeks Entertainment Weekly's cover is of Edward and Bella from the Twilight movie and has an article about Stephanie Meyer and her novels, where she says she already has 2 sequels to The Host in mind and another article about Twilight the movie itself. I added the link so you could look at the movie article if you wanted. I think all of the attention is wonderful, and it gets me even more excited for next months book.

My "The Host" thoughts

Ok, so it took me a while to do all my last month's book review...but finally, I am excited to hear what everyone is reading for July.

What was your opinion before you started reading and how did it change through out the story?

Before I started reading this book, I thought...man what a thick book, I hope it's good and then when I realized it was about alien takeover I was a little turned off. I am not really info sci-fi alien stuff. Of course I read more and really fell for this story, by the end I was crying when Wanderer was willing to sacrifice herself and Ian's pain and despair of losing her. I really liked the book and enjoy reading other stories from her.

My other question is about how it compares to her Twilight series. Obviously, they are two completely different stories and seem to be for different audiences. How does the writing style compare? Which did you prefer? Any similarities?

To me, the writing styles were so alike it kept me interested, but other than that...no similarities, unless you count an underlying romance. I was able to separate this work from her others and not compare, thus probably why I enjoyed it so much.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I was torn, I loved so many characters...Wanda I grew to love, Ian was so wonderful and so sincere, I don't think the story could have survived without him. Jeb, Jaime, Jared and Melanie...man what a tough choice...

Did you ever expect them to get caught? Were you upset that they didn't?

I did expect them to get caught and was waiting anxiously for the crazy seeker to come and when she did, I was not expecting Wanda's twist to save her and send her on. I was amazed by her constant compassion despite human emotions changing her. I am glad they didn't get caught, I didn't want it and still don't...


Do you think she will write a sequel?

I hope not, I had closure and agree, I don't think the humans can ever take back over, they are outnumbered in the whole galaxy. I enjoyed thinking they all lived happily ever after.

Did you find it strange that you liked Wanderer more than Melanie? (Assuming that you did.) How did it make you feel to be drawn to the "enemy?"

I was rooting for Melanie at first and then them both...they learned to love each other despite everything and became true soul sisters. I was glad to be able to see it from Wanderer's perspective and ultimately that made the story for me.

New Book schedule

We need volunteers for managing book discussions for the next couple months.

If you volunteer for the month, you get to select the book. Please let me know what month you would like and what book (if you know it) by leaving a comment. And feel free to choose anything you want - we love variety! It is fun to find you like a book you'd never have picked up on your own.

Calendar:
August 26
September 24
October 27
November 20 (*Discussion before Thanksgiving)
December 18 (*Discussion before Christmas)

Discussion: The Host

Hi everyone! I thought I'd start our discussion on The Host, although I will admit I have not read it yet. I'm very curious to hear how you all liked it. What was your opinion before you started reading and how did it change through out the story?

My other question is about how it compares to her Twilight series. Obviously, they are two completely different stories and seem to be for different audiences. How does the writing style compare? Which did you prefer? Any similarities?

Okay... now someone else ask some questions who actually READ the book. Sorry, ladies! That is my feeble attempt to get us started. I hope all is well with Ashley, since we haven't heard from her. Ashley - let us know when you are back online.

A few questions . . .

Hi girls, I was just wondering when we were going to discuss "The Host." I have already moved on to a few other books since then and am afraid I am going to forget everything :). Also, I totally forgot what our July book is and who is in charge. Thanks!

Unofficial June Book: New Moon

Did anybody else pull double duty again this month? I barely managed it, but I got it done.

New Moon is my least favorite so far of the series. A true Edward fan, I missed him being around a lot. I mean really, he thought Bell.a would be better off without him around? She's a walking danger magnet.

I did get to observe Jacob more objectively this read. I still don't like him as much as Edward, but he was good for Bella. I think, if he hadn't pushed so hard all the time to get Bella to like him back, she would have on her own. She was already heading there but his advances kept making her conscious of it and made her think of Edward all over again and so, he shot himself in the foot. Plus, I think he might have felt differently about her if he knew she was using him to hear Edward's voice. He thinks she wants to see him, and she does, but to also hear Edward's voice. Girls.

I did like meeting the Volturri and being in Italy. That was pretty sweet. I like Alice too, so it was nice to see more of her. I'm glad they didn't all get offed in Italy and that things more or less got back to normal by the end of the book.

Looking forward to Eclipse and then Breaking Dawn!!

june book

I know June is already 25% over, but better late than never! The book I chose for this month is The Host. With all of the Twilight frenzy going on, I thought it would be interesting to read Ms. Meyer's first novel for adults. I just finished it and don't quite know what I think yet, but I have a few weeks before the discussion to decide.

Unofficial May Book: Twilight

Did anybody read the unofficial book for May?

I did. Here are some thoughts I had after reading it for the umpteenth time.

I still really love the story. Bella gets on my nerves more and more. I like Edward more and more. I continue to dislike Jacob more and more.

My favorite part is when Bella wants to go to Seattle and Edward wants to drive and is teasing her about her truck and thinks, 'Stupid, shiny Volvo owner.' (pg 83)

The writing is simple. It doesn't bog you down while still relating all the information you need as a reader. I like that it goes at a pretty fast pace.

I'm reading New Moon for June. Anybody else?

I think I am going to become totally disenchanted with this series if Bella and Edward don't stay together. And that would make me really mad.

A Gift From the Sea

1. Do you think that Gift From the Sea holds any validity for new generations of Women?

I feel like it does. It is timeless to me. It also shows me that other generations of woman were dealing with what we are still facing as woman.

2. How did reading this make your feel?

For me it always reminds me that I need to slow down and remember to make some time for myself. It also makes me just want to take a deep breath of fresh air and puts me right back on track.

3. Did you relate with the Authors use of Shells?

I love the use of Shells and for me personally right now I love the Oyster Bed.

4. In the Channelled Whelk section I always come back to The Problem is not Woman and Career, Woman and the Home, Woman and Independence. It is more basically: how to remain whole in the midst of the distractions of life; how to remain balanced, no matter what centrifugal forces tend to pull one off center, how to remain strong, no matter what shocks come in that periphery and tend to crack the hub of the wheel.

This right here always hits home personally to me. I am trying to be a wife, mother, friend and yet I am trying to remain whole doing it! Sometimes life is completely insane and then I remember what Anne Lindbergh wrote right here and think yes I am normal and even someone as famous as her was experiencing the same thoughts and feelings that I am going through right now.

5. I am going to end here not really with a question just some personal thoughts. I love the fact that she says it is OK to be CREATIVE, to take time for yourself and that they whole world is not going to stop just because YOU did! I often need to be reminded to take care of myself. For me this book is like an old comfortable blanket and I can sit and CENTER myself after taking time out to read a chapter or two!

I love sharing this book with my friends and often I give this book as a gift to my female friends. I think it is so timeless no matter what generation reads it. I would love to hear your thoughts and if you really did not like it I would love to know those thoughts also.

Zane Grey's cabin

image from usatoday

All you Zane Grey fans, there is a story in USA Today about Zane Grey's Oregon cabin becoming preserved. There is an interview with his great grandson, too.

Here is the link: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2008-05-20-zane-grey-cabin_N.htm

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

For those of you in our local Savannah chapter of book club, we read The Invention of Hugo Cabret several months ago. It was a very different book as that the illustrations helped to tell the story. It has won tons of awards and I found this little interview with the author, Brian Selznick, on Shannon Hale's blog.

Check it out here.

MAY & JUNE BOOKS

May
"Gift from the Sea," Anne Lindbergh
Discussion led by Tammy on May 29. (**Tammy, does that still work for you?)

JUNE
"The Host," by Stephenie Meyer
Discusion led by Ashley Morrissey (**Ashley, does that work for you?)

Alright everyone, we should be set until July. How do you want to handle the summer? Cat suggested we read the Twilight series and make the new book up for discussion when it comes out. Any other thoughts?

Book Discussion!!!

Hello all! Thanks everyone for being patient with me... I've been able to have so much fun being here in Utah for my husbands graduation and visit with family. Unfortunately, it's been about two weeks since I finished the book, and (silly me) I neglected to bring it with me on my trip, so here I am in Utah without the book to turn back to for these questions. So, if my answers are a little short, or I forget stuff... forgive me. I'm excited to see what you all think!

Okay, so here we go...

1. Books play an important role in The Thirteenth Tale. Discuss Margaret and Miss Winter's relationships to books and stories. Could you relate with them? What is your relationship to books? Do you agree with Miss Winter that stories can reveal truth better than simply stating it? I felt that Margaret's relationship with books was her escape... she had found out that she was actually a twin and that seemed to effect her immensely. I think that she turned to books as an escape from her feelings of loss. Especially with her mother being somewhat distant to Margaret... With Miss Winter, her stories were a front, a disguise that she used to either not deal with reality, or hide her reality from others... I personally don't blame her. She grew up with some crazy circumstances... how could you not want to hide that (or from that)! In that way, I suppose, that Margaret and Miss Winter are similar. I personally, can relate in a way... my story isn't as dramatic as Miss Winter's, but growing up, I used my books as an escape. I still do, I suppose. If things are too difficult, I tend to want to forget about it and curl up somewhere comfy, reading a good book. Either an old reliable, or something new and exciting.
Let's see, the last part of the question... I think that in a lot of ways stories can give you a better idea of truth, than stating it. Stories can give you an insight into why certain decisions were made... not just that the decisions were made. Stories can give you a different perspective than the one that you normally have, so in that way, yes, I agree.

2. After Mrs. Dunne and John Digence die, Miss Winter says "the girl in the mist" emerges. Did you believe that Adeline had matured? If not, did you suspect the true identity of the character? I have to say that this book was great in the way that it totally surprised me. I thought that it was definately Adeline who had emerged and changed. I kept thinking, "Who else would it be??" It seemed from the beginning when the nanny (name??) arrived and was working with the Dr. to help the girls, from things that she had observed I thought for sure that Adeline would come out of her wildness. Especially since they seemed to suggest that Emmeline had a little bit.

3. When did you first suspect Miss Winter's true identity? Were you surprised? Looking back, what clues did she give you? When... hmmm.... more like, Did I suspect...?? And the answer to that would be no. Maybe you all reading this were much more aware, but I was totally taken by surprise. I had no idea. It all made sense to me at the end, but leading up to that, I was clueless. Looking back, she definately gave clues. The way she changed from third person perspective to first person. When the book first mentioned it, I noted it... but couldn't figure it out so I dismissed it a little. Then, when she changed to first person, I still noticed, but again... still couldn't figure it out. I had no idea that there was another character that wasn't introduced in the mainstream story. It makes sense that there was... but it never occurred to me. The author did such a great job giving you those clues and in that way keeping you riveted to the story. The fact that I STILL couldn't figure it out until it was explained made it all that more exciting.

4. Do you think Adeline or Emmeline was saved from the fire? I think that it was Adeline... Miss Winter was planning on saving Emmeline, but in one of those ironic twist of fate saved Adeline instead. I don't have my book with me, so I can't remember everything that happened to make me think that, but I know that I did.

5. Do you think it is harder to keep a secret or confess the complete truth?
If I was Miss Winter, then maybe it would be easier to keep a secret... unfortunately, I don't have her story telling ability, so I don't think that I'd be able to do it. However, from the story, I think that telling all of those lies took it's toll on Miss Winter. I feel that at the end, when she finished telling her story, I felt like she was relieved to have it out. I don't think that I would be able to keep a secret like Miss Winter and be able to function normally... it just seems like too much work.

Okay, everyone... I'm sorry that my answers are pretty simple, but I'm excited to see what you guys thought about this book. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it really captured my attention. It kept me wanting to read more, and more, and that's usually a good sign. It was somewhat sad and depressing, and dark in some places, but it showed how Miss Winter could overcome some of the most difficult circumstances, and help Margaret with some of her issues along the way.

Anyway, it's your turn... you can post to all the questions, or just choose one. Your choice. (Okay, I just wasn't sure how many questions to do... )

Reading lists and Recommendations

So.... what is everyone reading? (besides our current book) And would you recommend it?

Here's my list:
Louis L'Amour's "The Skyliners" - I would recommend if you like reading about the old west. More about the people and adventures than romance, too (for those of you Zane Grey fans.)

Mary Stewart's "Thunder on the Right" - I would recommend this for a quick mystery that's fun to read because you feel transported to France. And you can't go wrong with a twisted, wanna-be nun.

April 30

Hey everyone. Michelle's husband is graduating from college around our original April 24 book discussion date. I propose we move the discussion to the next week, April 30, so she can still lead it. Is that alright? 

I'm looking forward to discussing this one - what a great mystery.

just curious

Hey, I just finished the book and LOVED it. What a read. I was just wondering if anyone else was finished. I'm excited to discuss! jess

Cat's good reads

Okie dokie, here are some of my good reads, with reviews on my blog:

The Gemma Doyle Trilogy. They are the ones I have been reading lately and I am loving them. The library called me yesterday to let me know that the last one in the trilogy came in. I finished Rebel Angels last night, and A Great and Terrible Beauty is the first one. For the locals, I own the first 2, if you want to borrow them. The third one hasn't come out in paperback yet, so I haven't bought it.

I am so tempted to read it before I start on The Thirteenth Tale, but since I am borrowing Melissa's copy that she checked out from the library, I will read that one first, probably start it as soon as I am done here.

I read Midnight last year and really enjoyed it. It made me like Savannah just a little bit, and want to explore downtown a little bit more, especially when I have access to an amazing tour guide. Thanks Melissa!!

I also love Zane Grey. And as for the Louis L'amour and Amelia Peabody, I haven't read any of those. I'll put them on my TBR list.

my good read

I thought it was fun to hear what Jessie and Lisa are reading and wanted to share my good reads as of late. Last week I finished the first book in the Amelia Peabody mystery series "The Crocodile on the Sandbank." I've read later books in the series - after Amelia and Emerson are married and have grown children. So it was fun to see how it all started.

Has anyone else read any of these? And don't you want to go explore pyramids and tombs in Egypt now?

Right now I am reading "The Ghost of Hannah Mendes," which is the story of a wealthy Jewish woman in the 1500's and the end of her descendants line living in New York today. It's been good so far, but I need to set it down and finish "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,"

What is everyone else reading?

An Intriguing Book

We just read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil for my book club in Savannah. I was actually surpised by how much I enjoyed this book, since I had no idea what to expect. I was immediately drawn into it, and although it was well written and was an intriguing story, I was mostly drawn in because of all I learned about Savannah. There is just something especially magical about reading a book about a place you live. Especially since it was nonfiction.

PS. There are a few off color parts - mostly because of the character those parts are about, but I wanted to warn you.

good read

I just finished reading Louis L'Amour's Lonesome Gods. It was so good. I would not have thought that I would enjoy his book as much as I did. Just thought I would share a great read!

Hero and the Crown....one more thing...

I just posted my answers to the Hero and the Crown book discussion and didn't want my question for everyone to get overlooked, since I posted so late. So here it is..

Question: for those of you that haven't read the next book in this series (which includes myself) what do you think happens? (And no cheating and looking on book reviews.) Or if you have read it, what did you think before you read it?

Thanks!
Melissa

The Hero and the Crown Discussion

I really enjoyed reading this book, as I have enjoyed reading all of Robin McKinley's books. They are ones I could read again and again.

1. What did you think about Tor teaching Aerin how to sword fight? He knew he shouldn't be doing it, but he risks it anyways. Why does this say about him?

2. Did you expect Aerin to be able to defeat Maur? Did you expect it to be at such a price? Did you think the story would end there?

3. How did Aerin's relationship with Luthe make you feel? Do you think it is possible to love 2 people at the same time?

4. Aerin's half sister ( I forget her name exactly, Gallana?), her hair turns completely grey after her husband dies. It was referenced throughout the story that she wanted to marry Tor b/c he was the next in line to be king but had to settle for the second in line. Do you think she really did love her husband despite all the court intrigue and jealousies?

5. Ask your own question.

My answers:
1. I think Tor teaching Aerin how to do something she shouldn't know how to do shows that he views her as an equal. Even though she is a girl, he teaches her something male and that it would be looked down on if somebody knew, and even with this knowledge, he continues to do it. I think the sense of partnership he shows makes for a wise and fair king.

2. I'm so naive. I thought her kenet would protect her better than it did. I knew it would be a challenge but not that she would almost die. And her horse stayed true to her and by her side the whole time. I also didn't think that she would get so sick afterwards. But then again, the big dragons were described as demons and the little dragons were only like vermin, I should have expected Maur to be much more powerful and evil. And for whatever reason, I thought that Maur had the crown and after defeating him, she would find it and return the hero. I was so confused when there was still so much book left after she killed him.

3. Luthe bugged me. I guess b/c Tor was such a nice guy, and had been Aerin's friend when no one else had, and taught her how to sword fight and such. And then she just met Luthe and he was weird and she fell for him quick. Luthe seemed, for all his mageness, stupid and I couldn't see why she liked him. Not to mention that he was somewhat of a coward. Tor is out there fighting for his country and Luthe all holed up in the mountains. And I don't think you can love two people, not without hurting yourself and at least one of the others. Kinda like you cannot serve two masters, you end up loving one and despising the other. In the book, it even says that the immortal part of Aerin buried itself so she could love Tor and her country the way she needed too.
*Robin McKinley got a lot of flack for the whole Aerin/Tor/Luthe love triangle. I read about it on her blog.

4. It was hard for me to believe that she loved anyone when she could be so mean to Aerin, and even still after getting married, flirt with Tor. How can someone so malicious be capable of love? But after she simmered down and all her hair turned grey after her husband died, I think she finally realized that she loved her husband and that she needed to change.

Book discussion on Thursday!

I am so excited to talk about our book on Thursday! Yay! And for once I"m ahead of my schedule and have started reading next months book.

I can't wait to hear your thoughts.

Discussion!!

This was such a fun read. So now on to the questions...

1. Name one of Jane's commentaries on life that you enjoyed.

ie: The part where Henry and Catherine are talking about motives and people in their circle. Henry is talking above Catherine and she states quite plainly " I do not understand you." Henry replies, "Then we are on bery unequal terms, for I understand you perfectly well." Catherine:"Me? Yer; I cannot speak well enough to be unintelligible."
I love this part. It is such a commentary on those people who use language and their own opinions to raise themselves above others. I thought it was such a clever moment and such a loud statement in very simple terms.

I also love the commentary in the beginning where Jane is talking to her readers in that she states that there is no shame in her heroines reading novel. She carries on for a good two paragraphs on the hipocrasy of writing novels and then having your heroines too virtuous to ever touch a novel. I laughed out loud. I thought this too was so clever.

2. What theme stood out most to you?
I think that one of the strongest statements made was to not judge a situation based on the perceptions of others. (Particularly Isabella or John Thorpe) I think though these characters were exaggerated, they are found in everyday life. They are the "all around experts" and Jane cautions us to be careful of them. To judge a situation or person based on facts gathered from more than one source and hopefully above all else gathered from the person themself. I think this was made apparent in the father judging Catherine based on John's opinion as well as Catherine judging the Father based on her imagination and facts gathered on her own.

3. Comment on your overall opinion of the story.

I agree with the earlier comment. At times Catherine was a little too naive. I think Jane exaggerated all of her characters in order to make a greater statement. I did feel that the story though less complex than her others, was very clever and very enjoyable. I laughed out loud many times and found many delightful scenes. One of my favorites being the "proposal" hint by John Thorpe and Catherine's naive responses. I loved the conversation in this scene. It was so clever. Again I laughed out loud. I love it when a book brings that strong an emotional response.

4. Bonus question! Compare Catherine to your favorite Austin heroine.
I choose Lizzy from Pride and Prejudice. Lizzy to me is such a dynamic character. She is witty, and strong willed. She is intelligent and human. She jumps to conclusions and judges poor Mr Darcy harshly, but admits her mistake and is wise enough to recognize when she is wrong. Catherine is naive, though in that naivity is still witty unintentionally. She is a bit more rash, but very humble and quickly admits her faults and rectifies them. She is sweet tempered and trusts very easily. She learns from her mistakes. Both characters though very different are enjoyable.

Have a super week ladies!

Northanger Abbey

I just wanted to let everyone know I wasn't going to be able to discuss this months book. I waited too long to get it from the library and all of them were checked out in the ones by me. Now I have one on order and it will be available in a week...
I heard you all say it was wonderful...so I can't wait to get it. All the high school/college kids must be reading it or either another book club borrowed our idea. I am excited for next months book and am going to request it now.

Upcoming schedule

Jessie, I can't remember if we picked a day for you to start the discussion. Since this is the last week of the month, feel free to start it any time.

As for the upcoming schedule, I posted what we have in the side column. I've asked Tam and Ashley if they would like to lead May and June. And Michelle will be emailing me soon with her book choice for April.

Free Books

Go check out www.dailylit.com. You can sign up to receive free books via email.

March Book

Sorry for not getting this out sooner. I think for March we will read one of the books I got from the Library. There were 4 that I wanted to read, but narrowed it down to the one I chose. Which is The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley. I know Lisa has read a lot of her books so I apologize if it is a repeat for her or anyone else, but I am totally in a Robin McKinley mood as I just finished Spindle's End and it was amazingly good. We'll discuss it on Thursday, March 27th.

Happy Reading!!

Schedule???

I can't remember if we ever made a schedule for the next few months? And when are we discussing Northanger Abbey? Speaking of Jane Austin, I just watched "The Jane Austin Book Club," and it was really fun. I wasn't expecting it to be anything special, but my husband is out of town and so I decided to watch a chick flick. It was very fun and made me want to reread all the books :).

In Bronx School, Culture Shock, Then Revival

Since we recently read "My name is Asher Lev," I thought I'd share this interesting story from the NY Times about a Hasidic Jew becoming the principle of a failing school in the Bronx.
Talk about a tough job! Here is the link.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

February book!

For February we will be reading Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen. Let us read on ladies!!!

Feb book, etc...

Cat compiled a list of our book suggestions several months ago, but it is unaccessible as she is away from her home right now. I know she emailed it to me, but I can't find it in my email archive. Maybe for now, we can put that list on hold and start over.

Jessie left a comment earlier that she would be willing to lead the February book. Since Kyla, Lisa and myself have recently led other months, that sounds pretty good to me. Does anyone who hasn't hosted in a while want to volunteer for March or April? (Cat? Steph? Michelle? or anyone else who hasn't commented but I know signed up?)

Jessie, just let us know if you are still willing to take over for February and then post what fun book we'll get to read with you. Thanks :)

Dragonhaven Discussion

I hope you have all had a chance to read the book, as it was very good. The story itself was also very different than Robin McKinley's usual style, and I loved how she weaved the modern world into the world of dragons. And because there was never a time set, it meant it was something that could take place next year, or 100 years from now. I have a few questions to start the discussion, but if you have your own, feel free to add it and I'll respond to it as well :).

What did you think about the book's point of view? And did you like it?

I'll start off by saying, that I was very surprised when I first started the book, as this was very different from what I am used to from Robin McKinley. That said, I found that I enjoyed it a lot, and although there were times when Jake seemed to ramble on and on, it actually made it more convincing that the story was really an autobiography of his experiences.

Did you have a guess as to what his headaches might be?

From the very start I knew that they were important, and I remember being annoyed with Jake for not telling anyone about them. At first I thought that maybe his mother had somehow imprinted her presence on him, and later I realized that maybe it had to do with communicating with the dragons.

Did you like the way that the author portrayed dragons?

I actually really like the fact that she portrayed them as intelligent, nurturing creatures, rather than the killers that they are usually shown as. I kept contrasting the book to the movie, "Reign of Fire" with Matthew McConaughey. It also put dragons in the modern world, they had been hiding out for centuries, etc, but in the movie they almost destroy the human race. I much prefer how she made them out. I also loved that each had a distinct personality, and my favorite had to be Bud.

What scene in the book was the most vivid to you?

My favorite scene in the book had to be when Gulp picked up Jake and Lois to save them. I could see it vividly and it had my heart racing as they flew off to escape. It was such a huge leap of faith on both Gulp and Jake's part, and it was also the first time they really communicated with each other.

I hope you enjoyed it and can't wait to hear what you think :).

Book selection system

So I was just wondering how everyone wanted to continue selecting books. Here are a few ideas I had:

1. Stick with the "pick from a jar" system, where everyone submits an idea and we pick monthly.

2. Volunteer for a month

3. Assign a regular, rotating schedule.

What do you think?

February book?

I was just wondering if we have decided on a February book? Any suggestions? Mine are: Exodus, by Leon Uris; or I would love to reread a Jane Austin novel, or another great classic. Do we still have some suggestions left from last time?

Just Curious

I was just curious as to who has finished the book yet. I have to admit, I am eager to talk about it and get everyone's opinion, especially from those who have read Robyn Mckinnley books before. I feel like those old Walmart commercials (I think it was walmart) where the lady is there at the window at some unearthly hour of the morning waiting for the store to open so she could shop. hee hee

So Excited!

I'll start with the fact that I just LOVE Robin McKinley!! I you have never read any of her books, you are missing out. My favorite has to be The Blue Sword, but I have really enjoyed every one of her books. She has a special way of weaving fantasy and helping you get lost in the magic.

As for Dragonhaven, I am so excited to read it. I purposely didn't read anything about the book before hand, mostly because I like to be surprised when I read. However, I am a chapter into the book now, and am very intrigued. So far it is different that her normal style, but mostly because it doesn't take place in the past, like most of her books. It is also told from a boy's point of view, which is different for her as well, since usually her main character is a heroine. I am anxious to read more and see what the story holds.

I hope you all enjoy it as much as I hope to :)!!

January book: Dragonhaven

January book: Dragonhaven, by Robin McKinley

Lisa will lead the discussion on Monday, Jan. 28. Lisa, do you have anything you want to say to get us pumped up for reading the book?