An Extended Summer?

Hi all.  Just wondering if we were ever going to get started again after our summer break?  I have some book ideas if you want to hear them :).

Summer Reading

Like Jessie suggested, I think it is a great idea to share what we have read over the summer.  My summer was pretty wild - if you want to know more, you can read my blog, but to summarize, we found out in June that we were moving in July to Colorado Springs. 

It has been a wild ride, but my little family is finally getting settled.  However, even amongst the chaos, I have been reading like crazy :).  In fact, one of the first things I did when we got here, was get my library card.  So, here is what I read this summer:

JUNE
Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck - 4 stars
The Roar by Emma Clayton - 4 stars
Beguiled by Deeanne Gist- 4 stars
Dragon Slippers (Book 1) by Jessica Day George - 4 stars
Mr. Darcy's Daughters by Elizabeth Aston - 3 stars
One for the Money (Stephanie Plum, #1) by Jannet Evanovich - 4 stars
Everlost (Skinjacker, #1) by Neal Shusterman - 4 stars
Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson - 4 stars
Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #1) by Maggie Stiefvater -3 stars
The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton - 5 stars
The Scapegoat by Daphne du Maurier - 3 stars
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly - 5 stars *I loved this book!*
Dragon Flight (Dragon Slippers, #2) by Jessica Day George - 3.5 stars

JULY
Wizard's First Rule (Sword of Truth, #1) by Terry Goodkind - 4 stars
Peter and the Starcatchers (Peter and the Starcatchers, #1) by Dave Barry - 4.5 stars
Allies (Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi, #5) by Christie Golden, - 4 stars
The Help by Kathryn Stockett - 5 stars **One of my new favorite books!!!!**

AUGUST
Among the Hidden (Shadow Children, #1) by Margaret Peterson Haddix - 4 stars
Among the Impostors (Shadow Children, #2) by Margaret Peterson Haddix - 3 stars
Stone of Tears (Sword of Truth, #2) by Terry Goodkind - 4 stars
Among the Betrayed (Shadow Children, #3) by Margaret Peterson Haddix - 3.5 stars
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce, #1) by Alan Bradley *Another new favorite*
A Company of Swans by Eva Ibbotson - 4.5 stars (perfect fluff)
Dragon Spear (Dragon Slippers, #3) by Jessica Day George - 3 stars
The Maiden of Mayfair (Tales of London #1) by Lawana Blackwell - 4 stars

And before August is over, I will probably be adding these two to my list as well.  (I will have to let you know if they are any good.)

Straight by Dick Francis
Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos (Theodosia Throckmorton, #1) by R.L. LaFevers

And if you want to read my reviews on any of the books, go to my goodreads.com profile :).  I hope you all had a great summer and I can't wait to find out what we are reading for September.

Summer Break!

It seems that we are all needing a summer break, so I am making it official. I say we take the summer to read lots of wonderful books and report on a few of you favorites the end of August. We'll start all over again in September. So on that note, Any takers for September, October or November? Thanks ladies for all you do. Lisa, I do plan on reading Junes book by September. Read on ladies and have a super fabulous summer...

HUNBABA Mei Tai Baby Carrier Guest Giveawayy

HUNBABA Mei Tai Baby Carrier Guest Giveawayy

cool!!!!

Review Time - A Girl Named Zippy, By Haven Kimmel

I hope you all enjoyed this book as much as I did - such a fun and quirky read.  Since I am moving in less than two weeks, I thought I would put my discussion up on here early, so I don't forget.

Here are my questions . . .

1.  Kimmel jumped around in the sequence of the story as she told it - bouncing around from memory to memory, not really in any order.  Did you feel like this detracted to the book at all?

2.  Zippy had so many different pets throughout the story, and she was wonderful about making them seem good or evil.  What was your favorite pet story in the book or your favorite of Zippy's pets?

3.  What did you think of her upbringing?  How did you react to the details she would add about things, giving glimpses, but never the whole picture of how they lived?  Do you think it bothered her?

4.  Who do you think was the most impactful character in Zippy's life?

5.  As I read this, I realized how so many of us feel that we have no story to tell - that our lives are boring and too normal - but that each of us could have our own fun and exciting book about childhood.  What is a Zippy-like memory from your own childhood?

1. I think that she wrote the story in "memory-chunks," and so even though the book wasn't sequential, it didn't matter, because the chapters contained thoughts that flowed together.  I actually thought that the book was more interesting because she wrote it this way, because instead of a timeline of her life, it truly was a memoir.

2.  I think my favorite pet story was when her dad borrowed all the coon-hunting dogs to show their neighbors that her pet dogs weren't all that bad.  I laughed out loud when I read that section.

3. The further into the story I got, the clearer the picture became of her upbringing.  It seemed like they were poor, and dirty, for the most part, and although she wandered with no supervision, I felt there was a lot of love in her family.  I think that Zippy thrived in her environment - she loved her freedom, she was happy to be dirty, and that she could care less about being poor.  The wandering the neighborhood reminded me somewhat of my childhood - the world was very different, and it was normal for all of us to ride our bikes everywhere without anyone knowing where we were.  I don't think I could have handled the filthy living conditions she had though.

4.  Throughout the whole story, I think Zippy idolized her father, and in fact, I think she prided herself in being more like him that anyone else.  He also seemed to be the only one who really understood her. 

5.  When I was little and growing up in Nevada, we lived on the edge of town, and so had endless desert and hills to explore.  We used some huge rocks to build a fort on the hill behind our house, and although we had to watch out for rattlesnakes, as they liked to make a home there, we spent hours playing in that fort.  Every once in a while, we would even build a fire and cook some of the Pillsbury refrigerator biscuits.  It was TOTALLY illegal for us to build a fire out there, especially since our area seemed to be in a perpetual drought.  Luckily, we never burnt ourselves or the mountain :).

June Book - A Girl Named Zippy, by Haven Kimmel

Hi girls, just thought I would remind you about our June book.  It is called "A Girl Named Zippy" and is a true story about her childhood in a very small town in Indiana.  It is fun and quirky, and I think you will really enjoy it :).

Ella discussion...

I'm ashamed to say that I am going off of memory with these questions. Life is a bit on the crazy side right now, so I will post my answers and some more questions by Friday, but I wanted to get the ball rolling. Feel free to add to the question fun!


What did you think of the writing style and concept of this book?

Who was your favorite character?

Did you enjoy the resolve to the book?

May already?

Yep. May is here. Can you believe it we are almost half-way through 2010. The next book I think you will all enjoy. It's a very unique read...


I hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day.

Here's a little poem I wrote to add to the festivities of the day...

Endless Tasks

On a day like today, when the sky is so blue,
I look all around at my tasks yet to do.
The dishes were done and yet the sinks full again.
The toys on the floor multiplied by ten.
The laundry is stacked to the ceiling, and what's more?
There are fingerprints all over my newly cleaned door.
I'm up to my ears in endless tasks.
Why do I do it? This is the question I ask.
The answer is easy, it's clear and concise...
Because I'm the mom and because I'm so nice.

Happy Mom's day ladies!

PS Let's get the sign ups started for June, July and August...

The Princess and the Hound Questions

Hi ladies! Sorry for the slightly late post, so I will dive right in!

1. The book is billed as a 'Beauty and the Beast' retelling, do you agree? Did you like the twist in roles?

2. How did you feel about the male point of view? Did it enhance or detract from your enjoyment of the story?

3. Who was your favorite character?

I'll post my answers in the comments. I know the questions aren't 'deep' but it was a light, enjoyable read. Besides, I am sure we are excited for May and our next book.

Happy Reading!

Review time!

My Cousin Rachel
by Daphne Du Maurier

I was surprised by this book, what did I expect from her though Rebeca was a shocker also.

1. What was your first thought when Philip met Rachel?

I have to say that I thought she was too sweet. I guess my opinion of her was jaded by Philip and his trip to her villa. It changed though as they got to know each other and became friends.

2. What did you think of the letters that Philip kept finding hidden? Did it make you suspect her even more or think that maybe Ambrose was just really sick?

When he got the first one as he was leaving to go to Ambrose I thought for sure she was a murderer. When he found the one in the book I thought maybe it was a tumor making him delusional. The one in the jacket had me right back to believing
she killed him.

3. How did you feel after hearing of Philips plan with the estate?

I was honestly sick. I thought there is no way he will go through with it. Something damaging will come up first and he will know the truth. I read the last of the book with sadness, I just knew she was going to take everything and bleed the estate dry. He was totally sucked in and it seemed like he was going to be left behind with nothing.

4. What did you think when he was suddenly taken ill?

I suspected he was being poisoned from the beginning. I thought that it was just to suspicious. She would take everything of value and leave the country. I was so happy when he found the seeds.

5. Do you think he should feel guilty for not warning Rachel about the bridge?

I don't. She killed Ambrose and was trying to kill Philip. She was planning on taking every cent from the estate and had planned it from the beginning. I guess it was a fitting end to a sad tell of lies and deceit.

My Cousin Rachel

I am working on it! I have been so pressed for time. Almost finished though so stay tuned!

New Idea!

I just had a friend drop by with the cutest purse EVER! It is a hardcover book she turned into a purse! I know we are not a crafting organization, but I couldn't help sharing the idea with such lovely ladies who love to read. I googled a few links and thought this one was just right. It may not be right for you but maybe for another book lover's Christmas present. It's never to early to start getting ideas.
http://www.hgtv.com/crafting/recycled-hardcover-book-purse/index.html

April Book

I have choosen The Princess and the Hound by Mette Ivie Harrison. I saw this in Barnes and Noble and it looked interesting. I looked it up just now on Amazon and there is a review by Orson Scott Card, apparently, THE Orson Scott Card. Now I am really excited about this book.

'Hanna's Daughters' Discussion

Photo from Amazon.

Before I start the discussion, I wanted to share a few thoughts on this book. I'll admit that it was a little more of a downer than I was expecting, but in the end I felt very uplifted.

Here is why it was a downer at first - Hanna endured many of life's cruelest experience - rape, ostracized by her community, abuse, etc.. When teenage Ragnar turned on her, I was so depressed. All I could think of was "Great - that's what Soren is going to do to me someday." The daugher and granddaugher also had a pretty rough time - neither of them really finding happiness or the love they wanted. However, I think to tell someone's life story you need to include the tragedy's and disapointments that define them.

Why it was uplifting in the end - In the end, this story has left me thinking more about what I've inherited from the women who paved my way. Examining the complex relationships between Hanna's family makes me more aware of relationships in my own family. Not all of it was rosy for Hanna and her daughters, and neither is it all rosy for me.

Discussion Questions:

1. Which woman's life did you enjoy reading the most and why?
Johanna's life story was my favorite because you got to know her the most. Hanna's story was told in third-person, so it was hard to get inside her head. Anna's story revolved so much around Rickard, that I don't feel you found out much more about her than her marriage, her mother's opinon of her, and her opinion of her family. Also, Hanna's husband's love and preference for Johanna set her up to be a favorite. I wanted to see how this favorite child would break out of her mother's world and succeed.

2. Hanna's Daughters examines the changing roles of women in a country that quickly moved from a primitive farming society, to an industrial society and then an information-based society. How do you think theses changes in society make you different from your mother/grandmother/or earlier female ancestors?
I do think that I have more time and freedom to worry about finding happiness and love than my grandmother and great-grandmother did. They had to work so hard just to survive and that was what they expected. I think all the new technologies have made my home life a little easier - I buy my bread instead of baking, I don't have to milk cows or worry about a shortage of hay or for my livestock, etc.. Although, I'm not sure there is that much of a difference between my mother and I in terms of society changes. Yes, technology is different but not drastic enough to change my way of life from hers.

3. One point I love, is that the author wanted to point out that even though today's women have so many more opportunities to "succeed," we still choose to marry and raise children. She refers to this as our Social Inheritance. What do you think of that type of inheritance?
In the book, I think the family jewels symbolized this. The care of family stories and heritage passed down from daughter to daughter. In my family, we don't have family jewels that mothers pass on, but we do have the stories and the resolve to love and nurture children. I think there could be no greater inheritance than a love for family and passing that on.

4. Share one of your own questions or opinion on the book.

March book

I am in charge of the book for March and I want to do My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier. I love her books. I hope this works for everyone, if not let me know and I will find something else!

Hanna's Daughters~

I thought a little tidbit about the author might be interesting as we begin our journey through Hannah's Daughters. I'm excited to read this one. The last book was wonderful and it looks like the next one is going to be great as well!

Marianne Fredriksson, née Persson (March 28, 1927, Gothenburg – February 11, 2007, Österskär) was a Swedish author who worked and lived in Roslagen and Stockholm. Before becoming a novelist, she was a journalist on various Swedish newspapers and magazines, including Svenska Dagbladet.

Fredriksson published fifteen novels, most of which have been translated into English, German, Dutch and other languages. Most of her earlier books are based on biblical stories. A central theme in her writings is friendship because, as she maintained, "friendship will be more important than love" in the future.

"A Curse Dark as Gold" Discussion

I hope you all loved this book as much as I do.  It was my second time reading it, and I loved it just as much, and maybe even a little more.  Here were some of my thoughts as I read:

1.  I was drawn into the book within the first page.  Did any of you feel the same way, and why?

2.  Charlotte feels responsible for her entire village. Do you think this feeling is justified? Why or why not?

3.  What did you think of Uncle Wheeler?  Did you have any clue, until the end, that he was also involved with Jack Spinner?

4.  I liked Randall Woodstone from the moment he first appeared in the story.  How did he contrast to Charlotte's uncle?  What did you think of his engagement gift to her (the plate that said "Great Courage Breaks Ill Luck")?

5.  I found it interesting how the mill seemed to try and communicate with Charlotte, like when it showed its disapproval of Jack Spinner.  What did you think about this?

6.  When she finds herself in desperate straits, Charlotte makes some extraordinary choices about who she can trust to ask for help. Do you think she made the right decisions, or could she have turned elsewhere for assistance? What would you have done?

I hope you enjoyed it!!
 
And just in case you didn't know, February's book will be "Hanna's Daughters," by Marianne Fredrickson.

random thought for january

If you could invite two characters and two authors to dinner, who would you invite?

Reminder and a question . . .

Hi all,

Just a quick reminder about our January book, A Curse Dark as Gold.  (All the info is in a post below)  It is fantastic, and so I hope you all get a chance to read it.  I just started rereading it, and I remember why I loved it so much the first time.  I think I will plan the discussion for the 29th of January, but I may post it earlier so that everything will be fresh in my head when I do it.  So if it comes up on here early, no worries :).

Also, I think we assigned the next few months, but I have already forgotten who has picked what months and what books they have picked.  I was thinking about getting library requests in, and so I was wondering if we could post a list of what will be coming the next few months.

That said, I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and New Year's.  In my blog I wrote down all the books I finished in 2009, and if you want to read it, go here.  I would love to know what all of you read too, that is, if you feel like sharing.  Have a great January and happy reading!

Lisa