January 2009 Meeting

In January we will be reviewing Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. Look for the newsletter for a brief synopsis of this book. For any help you may need with language or plot (I needed it!) go to Spark Notes. It is a great resource.
After our discussion we will watch the movie. Bring your jammies to change into. I will be wearing mine. :)


Please note that we have changed our meeting to Thursdays. We will still meet at 6:30, but meeting will now be the second Thursday of every month. We will try this out for a while and see how it works. Let me know how you feel about this.

Our meeting will be held on January 8, at 6:30 at Mindy's house.

Update

Ladies- this month's book has been hard to come by. Darn library. So we will review it next month ALONG WITH "Wuthering Heights". So for this month we will do book reviews. Just bring a book that you have read and love and share it with the group.
For next month- two books. I understand that life is busy. Do what you can. We will talk more details at this month's meeting. I am excited to see you all tomorrow!

Read Up Ladies

On the side bars I have posted several lists: the schedule for the upcoming year, and the assignments for the Christmas party.
As you decide on your book for the upcoming year add it to the list. You can do this by logging in and then clicking on the tool icon below the list. This will allow you to change what is by your name.
You can also do this for the Christmas party assignments. We will be doing the chocolate fountain again, so as you decide what to bring, sign up so we don't have lots of duplicate stuff. If you have question, give me a call. And be sure to check out Becca's post below!

Beneath My Mother's Feet

How to get your hands on this month's book:

The L. library has ONE copy, which is checked out at the moment... and I'm not sure the other libraries even have it at all. I'm so sorry (to have chosen a hard-to-get book).

If it makes you feel any better, it's a pretty quick read. Many Amazon reviewers said they read it in an afternoon... and Little Miss Speedy Gonzales here read it in at most that. ** This does NOT mean that you slow readers out there (you know who you are... those who graze instead of devour) can put it off until the last day. Don't. Book club sucks when no one's read the book.

Which brings me back to my first point (the point of this post, really), which is... how to get your hands on this month's book. You have several options.

1. Buy the book. I'm personally too cheap for this sort of thing, but even for me- Amazon has it for a good deal. $7.72 -- click here to see.

2. Check your local library and hope it's available. Or get on a HOLDS list and pray. :)

3. Call me and see if I have any extras you can GENTLY borrow (they'll be due to my doing number 4). Or borrow other bookclubbers' books... if they buy them and are kind enough to share.

4. Ask your library to get it for you via Interlibrary Loan! That's what I'm doing... and I'm getting 3 copies. So if they actually come in a timely fashion (the guy said it could be 2 days, could be 20), you can even borrow one of MY borrows (see number 3).

For those of you with access to the L. library, here is a tutorial (if you will) on how to request the book via Inter-Library Loan. (You can also call the library... that's what I did.)

1- Go to our website and click on "My Account" below the box to search the catalog.
2- Enter your library card number and pin number at the top of the screen (if you have never changed your pin number, it is "changeme"). Click "Login to My Account."
3- When you are logged in, click on "I Need Material."
4- Click on the Interlibrary Loan link at the bottom. On this screen you can enter all the information for your item. You may request up to three items at a time. Please allow 10-30 days to receive the item.

Whichever method you choose, do it TODAY! It's a quick read, but the holiday season is crazy nuts- at least around here, and I don't have kids in school programs, etc! Call me if you need help or have a question or want to chat just for fun! **And check out the post just before this one. It's TONS more fun... and prettier, too!

Good luck, and happy reading!

Retreat Pictures

First of all I apologize profusely for the lack of posting lately. I have just been really busy. I also had some problems getting the pictures to come through on my email. So here they are. I am excited to see you all tomorrow night! Call me if you need Krista's address.

Go Vote!

I'm sorry that it has taken me so long to upload pics of the retreat. I promise an update is coming soon. In the meantime. . . VOTE TODAY. It's important.
Done ranting, love you all.

The Cabin

Remember when we all thought our retreat would be held at a cabin such as this?? Okay, maybe it was just me. But seriously, I was thinking along the lines of, "Do we need to bring matches? Bottled water? Hand sanitizer??" Boy was I in for a {sweet} surprise! :) Silly Becca.

So besides the oh-so-cool cabin picture, I have nothing else to contribute. I just wanted to post about the retreat because for some reason today I am SO FREAKING EXCITED about it! I can hardly wait... it will be so fun!

I also have a question. We are planning to stay a little later on Saturday, but how late is later? (AKA: Derek works at 3pm; will we be home by then, or do I need to find a sitter?) Maybe he could drop him off at Shawn's, and they could have a too-many-kids-in-this-tub style party! Anyway-- how late?

Is anyone else just SO needing a break from it all? My husband and son have been fun and wonderful, even, but I'm excited to have some no-responsibility-necessary, girl time! Do you all have your paperbacks yet? Are you revved up to button like crazy? Are you stoked to listen to me gab into the wee hours of the morning?? (wink, wink)

Three more days, girls... three more days...

Yes- I can do this.

I have seen this before and so have many of you probably, but I thought it was kind of interesting to share. This is my first time posting on here- I am not very good at figuring this stuff out- I hope it works.


If you can read the following paragraph, forward it on to your friends and the person that sent it to you with 'yes' in the subject line.Only great minds can read this This is weird, but interesting!

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can. i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs forwrad it FORWARD ONLY IF YOU CAN READ IT

Flowers

I went shopping today (Yay!). I got flowers for hair bows to use at retreat. The colors are mainly fall colors: orange, deep red, muted greens, yellow, deep purple. I also got some white and black flowers, and a few pale pink. The above picture is just an example of what I have done. If you want different colors than what is listed above you should hit the store before we go. The stuff I have would be really cute for Halloween/November. If you want to see it, you can drop by any time. If you want to make flowers at retreat remember to bring some extra cash with you. I expect making a flower will range from $.50 to $2 depending on what you use. If you have questions give me a call.
Love to all of you!

TopTen

So I got to spend some fun time with some of you ladies tonight. We had a ward "Wacky Wednesday". There was lots of craftiness going on. But some of you said that you check the blog often so I decided to post just for the sake of posting. So here is:

The Top Ten Reasons I LOVE Book Club

10: It gives me an excuse to buy new books all the time.
9: We get to eat yummy treats.
8: It is a set date that I get to ditch my family once a month. :)
7: It gives me a reason to do a neat-o newsletter. Yes I am a dork.
6: I get decorating ideas by going to all your houses.
5: We have good discussions. (Thank you Missy!) This keeps my brain from turning to mush.
4: It gives me something to blog about.
3: RETREAT, RETREAT, RETREAT!!!
2: Laughing is good exercise.
1: I get to hang out with all of you!!

Crafties for Retreat

Here is a teaser of things to come. These are not great pictures but they give you an idea of what we will be doing at retreat. I need a couple people to bring glue guns and good fabric scissors. If you can bring either if these things, leave a comment and tell me.

Also there has been an interest expressed in learning how to make hair bows. Here are some pics of ones that I have made:

If you want to make bows, bring any specific ribbon you want to use. I will bring some ribbon with me. Also bring a few extra bucks to cover the cost of clips and any ribbon you use. We can also do flowers on clips too. Bring any flowers you want to use and I can show you how to do them. If you have questions give me a call.

Retreat Time!! (PLUS Three Posts- Keep Scollling Down)

Hooray for retreat! Here are some specifics about what we will be doing:

DATE: October 24-25 (Friday-Saturday)
TIME: Meet at Mindy's at 4PM to carpool OR come to Smith's in Logan at 4:30 and we will pick you up
WHAT TO BRING: Jammies!
$10 for food and craft- I need this ASAP so I can order the craft
A treat to share with everyone
A book for our book exchange (See next post)
Any movies or games that you would like
Camera- we have a blog now so we can post and embarrass each other!
Pillow & blanket if you want- there will probably be beds for everyone
WHAT ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW: We are planning on staying a little later on Saturday this time. Clear your schedules as much as possible so you can stay and hang out with us.

If you have any questions give me a call. We are going to have lots of fun!

Ideas for Book Exchange

OK, so there was some trepidation expressed about the book exchange at our retreat. What to pick? Here is what I suggest:

~ Pick a book that you LOVE that we haven't done for book club. Chances are if you love it, whoever gets it will like it too.
~ Think outside the box: Pick a children's book, a cookbook, or a book of fairy tales. There are also some very good books about books out there.
~ Choose a classic that you have seen the movie of- like "Peter Pan", "Little Women", "Swiss Family Robinson", or "The Wizard of Oz". If we have all seen the movie, I think it makes these sometimes hard-to-read books easier.
~ If you need more specifics, let me know and I can list some titles.

Good luck and have fun!

Tethered

So I stumbled upon this website and found this book. It sound great! Plus it has a really cool cover. Here is what the Random House website said about it:

Clara Marsh is an undertaker who doesn’t believe in God. She spends her solitary life among the dead, preparing their last baths and bidding them farewell with a bouquet from her own garden. Her carefully structured life shifts when she discovers a neglected little girl, Trecie, playing in the funeral parlor, desperate for a friend.

It changes even more when Detective Mike Sullivan starts questioning her again about a body she prepared three years ago, an unidentified girl found murdered in a nearby strip of woods. Unclaimed by family, the community christened her Precious Doe. When Clara and Mike learn Trecie may be involved with the same people who killed Precious Doe, Clara must choose between the stead-fast existence of loneliness and the perils of binding one’s life to another.
About the Author

AMY MacKINNON is a former congressional aide whose commentaries have appeared in the Christian Science Monitor, the Boston Globe, the Seattle Times, and on National Public Radio and This American Life. This is her first novel.

September Meeting Change

Attention!!
Our meeting has been changed to Wednesday, August 17th.
Please pass the word along to any members that you see or talk to. Again our September meeting will be on August 17th, 6:30 PM at Missy's house.

Deep Thoughts Too Late at Night

Thank you Missy for finding a wonderful post by Shannon Hale. I thought it was worth a post of it's own.
So let me know your thoughts ladies, what makes a "good book" a good book? Is it when others call that book a classic, does that automatically make a book worth-while. Is it if the book has deep meaning that can be analyzed by scholars and professors, and whole classes can be taught on just that book? Is a book "good" if it makes you pause and think about what you have just read, makes you wonder about yourself and the world? Or is a good book simply a book that entertains? A book that takes out of our own world and into the fictitious world of the author? Is it simply that by reading we can forget our own self for a minute and just live in the moment of this "good book"?
What do you all think? I have my opinion. What is your opinion? I surely hope it is not the same as mine, or anyone else. That is why I love book club, and each of you: that we have different opinions and that we learn and grow from each other.
OK, maybe that is too deep for 11:32 PM on a Monday. But, I thought the article was great! Thanks Missy! I anxiously await your comments!
P.S.- Some reading that is worth while, and has to do with this subject also: go to FAQ's on Stephenie Meyer's site.

Dang Cute Family!

Here's a snap shot of our fearless leader's cute family. Thanks for coming to my brothers open house. My mom always tells people about her "other grandchildren". I'm so glad you are next door. Don't ever move, OK!

Semi-Annual Book Club Retreat!

Ok, so I thought we had a date for our retreat, but the date I picked was UEA weekend. (Thanks for setting me straight Caron.) So the date is still up in the air. Please leave comments telling which weekend in October will work best for you. There will be more details to come. Note that to the side of this post is a poll showing options of what we can do for dinner. Vote and let me know what you want, or you will have to eat whatever I feed you! Bwahahah.

September's Book

Thanks so much to all of those who came to book club this past month. We had a blast! Shanna, Pillars was such a great read.
Our book for review in September was chosen by Missy. The Bell Jar was written by Sylvia Plath. This book centers around Ester Greenwood and her slow decent into mental illness. Here is a small excerpt from Wikipedia

The Bell Jar is American writer Sylvia Plath's only novel, which was originally published under the pseudonym "Victoria Lucas" in 1963. The novel is semi-autobiographical with the names of places and people changed. The book is often regarded as a roman à clef, with the protagonist's descent into mental illness paralleling Plath's own experiences with what may have been either bipolar disorder or clinical depression. Plath committed suicide a month after its first publication.

The novel was published under Plath's name for the first time in 1966.

As you can see there are lots of links to the book on Wiki, so go check it out. By the way I totally had to look at what roman a clef meant.

I think this will prove to be a very interesting read! We will meet on September 9th, at 6:30 at Missy's house. If you have questions, give me a call!

Book Club Meeting

Ladies! Please note the change in our book club meeting place this week. Shanna has family in town and didn't want to hide them in the basement, so we will meet at MY HOUSE. Same time as usual. So again:

Book Club Meeting: Wednesday, August 13
Time: 6:30 PM
Place: Mindy's House

Please pass this word along to people in book club that you see this week! I am really excited to see all of you on Wednesday!

Is Anyone Willing to "Bite"?

So I just want you all to know that I should be showering right now because we leave for swimming lessons in like 45 minutes, breakfast is all over the counter, and I smell funky but I could not WAIT to post after reading everyone else's post.
I have a proposal to make: A READING NIGHT! I don't know how many of you have "Breaking Dawn" on hold or are planning on buying it, but Becca and I at least can't wait for Saturday. So I was wondering if you all want to come over to my house Saturday night after your kiddos (or hubby, Missy ;) ) goes to bed. We could read our books together and listen to Becca make funny noises while she reads.
So come on over! My house, 8:00 PM or later. Bring a book of your choice (it really doesn't have to be Breaking Dawn), a treat if you want to, and wear your jammies, and we can all read together. Call me if you have questions. And pass the word around to members you see who have yet to get on the blogging bandwagon.

Feeling Left Out!

I've obviously been on the anti-social/book side lately since I have missed a few book club nights and a movie night! So, since I'm finally back from the dead I thought I'd post the book that I was going to give a review on at the last meeting.

From The New Yorker: At the age of thirty-one, Gilbert moved with her husband to the suburbs of New York and began trying to get pregnant, only to realize that she wanted neither a child nor a husband. Three years later, after a protracted divorce, she embarked on a yearlong trip of recovery, with three main stops: Rome, for pleasure (mostly gustatory, with a special emphasis on gelato); an ashram outside of Mumbai, for spiritual searching; and Bali, for "balancing." These destinations are all on the beaten track, but Gilbert's exuberance and her self-deprecating humor enliven the proceedings: recalling the first time she attempted to speak directly to God, she says, "It was all I could do to stop myself from saying, 'I've always been a big fan of your work.'"

I liked her writing style. The reviews are mixed, though. Some like it, some hate it. Personally, I loved reading it up until her last stop to her self discovery. Bali (balancing) was a bit boring for me. Guess that goes to show that I'm all about pleasure with a little bit of spiritual searching. Balance - who needs balance!? Anyone want to go to Rome with me!? Oh, maybe I should ask my husband first! :)

Epic = Awesome

When I went into the library to get Pillars (I had it on hold), the librarian was super chatty. She apparently had lived in England for a time with her husband, and she adored English historical fiction. Anyway, she loved Pillars and spoke its praises. Then she told me (repeatedly- She made me write it down.) that if I liked Pillars, I would love Edward Rutherfurd. I have yet to read any of his books (I'm still recovering from Pillars), but I looked online and found the one I WANT to read: Sarum. Apparently it's an epic novel... and from my experience with Pillars, I have deduced that "epic" actually means "really long, super complex, and ultimately AWESOME!" I may have to take a few deep breaths before I begin yet another EPIC novel... but I can't wait. Stonehenge, here I come!

Dont Tell Your Husbands

I finished "Pillars" last night! Man that one took me a while. It was such a great read. I am way excited for our meeting in August. Just a reminder- the meeting will be on August 13 at Shanna's house.

Also Caron is hosting a movie night at her house on Tuesday. Yay! Come prepared for a good time!

Lit Lover Friends

Hey all my "Between the Cover" friends. I thought I would be adventurous and post a note on our awesome blog (since it is being monopolized by Becca and Mindy-just kidding). So I was at young women camp a few weeks ago and ran into some pretty famous people. One was a very high ranking YW church official and the other a prestigious camp coordinator. I was lucky enough to finagle my picture with them. I am the googly looking fan on the left.
Also I wanted to say I am sorry I won't be able to make it to book club this month. Just so you know I am doing my best to get through "Pillars of the Earth" and my review (if I was present) would be on the book "The Chase" by Clive Cussler, since that is the only book I have finished recently not for our book club. It was a great summer read. I recommend it if you like adventure and a quick easy story line to follow. I have read quite a few of Mr. Cussler's books in the past and worried this new one wouldn't meet my expectations, but it was enjoyable. I am reading a few other books at the moment as well, "The Innocent Man" -John Grisham and "The Host" -Stephenie Meyer, both good so far. Hope you are all having a wonderful summer, see you in August.

"O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?"

Stealing one of Romeo's lines, I've gotta say this is exactly how I felt when I finished reading the third (out of four- the fourth to be released in a thousand years -- aka: August 2nd) book of the Twilight Saga. Ugh! Utter agony! I read each of the books 1 1/2 times over (had to re-read the "good" halves) in a day each, leaving my house and family pretty neglected for a while there. It was chaos that I had to "awaken" to... dishes to wash, laundry to fold, disaster to tame... but it was DEFINITELY worth it!

I am absolutely in love with Edward, and I CANNOT WAIT for Breaking Dawn (#4- the final one) to come out in August. I'm not sure how I'll handle the suspense until then. What happens? What happens? Does he... ? Will she... ? Are they gonna... ??? It's excruciating. And fun.

I should be ashamed to admit that I am finally and entirely a committed "Twilighter." But I'm not. Admit it... neither are you.

Our June Meeting

Thanks for a great meeting in June, ladies! Thanks you Becca for hosting us. The cake was yummy!

For July we have decided to do book reviews. Read a book of your choice and come prepared to introduce it to the group and tell us what you thought of it. Please refer to the sidebar for more specific details. This will hopefully give us a little more time during the busy summer months to get through Pillars of the Earth. If you have questions let me know. Also, for anyone who did not receive a invite to be an author on this blog, get me your email address and I will get a invite out to you. Happy reading ladies!

A Painted House... by Grisham??

My dad sent me this book for Christmas. I haven't really read John Grisham books, mainly 'cause that style doesn't seem to appeal to me. But he told me that this book is nothing like Grisham's other books, and he thought I'd like it. Although my dad and I have slightly different book style preferences (ie. he DOES like the rest of the John Grisham collection), I trust his recommendations. For some reason, I didn't get around to reading this book until... oh-- last week. But MAN am I glad I did!

Here's a blurb about it that I found online... to tease and tempt you:

***

The hill people and the Mexicans arrived on the same day. It was a Wednesday, early in September 1952. The Cardinals were five games behind the Dodgers with three weeks to go, and the season looked hopeless. The cotton, however, was waist-high to my father, over my head, and he and my grandfather could be heard before supper whispering words that were seldom heard. It could be a "good crop."

Thus begins the new novel from John Grisham, a story inspired by his own childhood in rural Arkansas. The narrator is a farm boy named Luke Chandler, age seven, who lives in the cotton fields with his parents and grandparents in a little house that's never been painted. The Chandlers farm eighty acres that they rent, not own, and when the cotton is ready they hire a truckload of Mexicans and a family from the Ozarks to help harvest it.

For six weeks they pick cotton, battling the heat, the rain, the fatigue, and, sometimes, each other. As the weeks pass Luke sees and hears things no seven-year-old could possibly be prepared for, and finds himself keeping secrets that not only threaten the crop but will change the lives of the Chandlers forever.

A Painted House is a moving story of one boy's journey from innocence to experience.

***

Highly enjoyed, highly recommended. The story will remain with you long after the final page has turned. Read it, and let me know what you think!

Breaking Dawn

The cover for the last book in the Twilight series came out this week. So what do you ladies think of it? I instantly liked the covers of the first three books, but this one is going to take some time to grow on me. There are lots of theories brewing out there about what the cover means. I would love to hear your ideas on it if you have any- cuz I am a bit at a loss right now. Let me know what you think!

The Host

I just finished The Host by Stephenie Meyer. It was good! I didn't like it as much as the Twilight series, but it was still a very fun read. Here is a plot synopsis for you: The earth is taken over by an alien race that implants itself in human bodies as parasites. Melanie Stryder is caught by the aliens and implanted. Her "soul", Wanderer, continues to hear Melanie speak to her, refusing to give up her body. Soon Melanie and Wanderer become intertwined in each others' memories, emotions, and desires. "Wanda" comes to love and long for the man that Melanie loves. They start to work together to find Jared. This book has been called "the first love triangle that involves only two bodies."
I really enjoy the way Meyer writes. The book flows well and is easy to read. The book delves alot into the moral issue of doing the wrong thing with misplaced intentions.

The Girl With No Shadow

I am currently reading "The Girl With No Shadow" by one of my FAVORITE authors, Joanne Harris. I first fell in love with her (well, her writing) when I read "Five Quarters of the Orange." Her style of writing is absolutely delicious, and I adore her intermingling of French and "Frenchness" (Yes, I invented that word. You're welcome, Webster.) in her novels. To a non-francophone, this might be more annoying or confusing than cool, but to me it is absolute bliss! Anyway, I'm only like a third of the way into the book, but I thought I would add my two cents on our awesome new blog! I will let you know how I like it in the end. 'Better go-- fiction calls.

Welcome to the Book Club Blog

I decided it would be fun and helpful for us to have a place online to meet and share. Several of our members are into blogging anyway (see links on the side) and so I thought this would be a good way. I'm trying to set it up so that everyone can post new information or comment on posts. If you haven't blogged before - don't worry - it's EASY! I sent out invites to all the email address I know - so if you didn't get one, give me a call and I'll get one out to you. If you aren't already blogging the email will walk you through the sign up - again it's EASY. Then you can start putting up pics, reviews, thoughts, or anything you want. Post on what you are reading, or where you are headed on vacation, or on votes for the next movie night. We just have so much fun at meetings I want to see a little more of you all each month - even if just online.

So let's get blogging ladies!