It's tomorrow

We are meeting tomorrow at Michelle Hastings home. If you haven't been able to read the book yet, come anyway.

Also there are a couple of book blogs I follow and I thought I would share them with you.

Bookie Woogie is by an illustrator and dad of 6, Aaron Zenz. (I really love Hiccupotamus.) He reviews books with his children and types out their conversations and their fan art for each book. He updates it once a week on Mondays and occasionally even does giveaways.

Two and a Half Book Lovers is actually done by a friend from Colorado. She hasn't been updating as much because she is expecting her second child in April. Anyway, she is pretty opinionated, but honest about content. I can usually find some good reads from her.

See you tomorrow!

North & South

Hello lovely readers!

I just wanted to quickly mention two things about our current read

1 - it is not available at the local library. There are a few copies floating around and for those tech savvy folks it is available for free download on most devices.

2 - Book Club will be at Michelle Hasting's house this month

Feel free to leave any questions in the comment section or call me!

Happy reading!

2011 Book Club Schedule

One Wednesday we met at Michelle's house and all but one of us were there! Yea! That means we scheduled the whole year. Here is what we have for those hosting and the book choices if they have been chosen.

February - Michelle Hastings North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

March - Mindy The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton

April - Xela Mother Had a Secret by Tiffany Fletcher

May - Stacie Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse

June - Ashley The Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio by Terry Ryan

July - Jeannie

August - Lynda

September - Heidi

October - Kacey

November - Michelle Hines (Is that how you spell it?)

December - N/A

January - Jenny Tyler?

I am trying to make a comprehensive list of what we have read and post that. Comment with those you remember and I will post them to the side bar. (Check out what I already have.) We have been going for 2 years!!! Thanks guys. I will try and write more about the actual meeting of the group this week.

Authors

So, I think exactly one person reads this. Even so I wanted to add as authors those that are interested. That way we can all update and give opinions on what we are reading, etc. I want it to truly be our book group blog. If you want to take part let me know via e-mail. I need your blogger e-mail address or a gmail address. I will try to remember to bring it up in a couple of weeks at book club. Still the 4th Wednesday?

A View From Saturday

Our next meeting time will be the 4th Wednesday in January. We are reading whatever books we want and then will plan the year. Our discussion will be about heroines, who we like and dislike. Kacey gave a list of book suggestions:

True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire

The Wolves at the Door (Female spies) by Judith L. Pearson

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio by Terry Ryan

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Cheaper By the Dozen by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

Heidi also suggested:

Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Freedman

Keeping Corner by Kashmira Sheth

Last night we were few in numbers because of the day change. It was the last time we meet this year, so that was sad. Still, we had a good discussion about the book. If you care to know about the author, go here.

We talked about one of the themes in the book being friendship and how Julian was knew who he was. We discussed the stupidity of the assistant superintendent and how Ethan's grandma was hard to figure out.

Some questions to consider:

How is friendship portrayed and developed?

Why is "The Souls" a good name for the group?

When (and how) does Mrs. Olinski become a Soul?

How are risks demonstrated? Are they willing?

What are qualities of a good team? Why are "The Souls" a good team?

Read the last page. What do you think it means?

Who did you relate to most?

Trying it out

I thought it would be fun to start a blog for our book group. We can post our books, questions and what we thought. We can even post our treat recipes and any other book suggestions. Tonight is book group @ 7:00. Same place, same time. The book is A View From Saturday. I am leading the discussion and promise some yummy treats. At least, I think they are yummy.