Super Fantastic Reading Group

Keeping Faith

I finished another Jodi Picoult book last night. Though I stayed up to read it, it didn't grip me the way some of her other books have.

Maybe that's because this centered around religion, and I'm not very interested in religion. Maybe it's because the father, one of the main male characters, appeared to act out of character, or the fact that too many religious characters were introduced (if i recall correctly, 2 priests, 2 rabbis, 1 theologian, 1 bishop, and someone else).

While I still stayed up to finish the book, I don't feel this was one of the better Piccoult books available.

The Kite Runner

Fantastic book. Everyone in it is flawed - some physically, some emotionally, some, I guess, mentally. The story takes place in Afghanistan, and normally I don't like tales in foreign places, but this one sucked me right in. I read it in two nights because I simply couldn't put it down.

Unlike a lot of books, there's no pat, happy ending - not everything comes together, full circle, all ends neatly tied. There's a lot of emotion within this book, and I cried more than once.

Definite two thumbs up.

Vampire Love

I just wrapped up the Twilight trilogy by Stephenie Meyer (which I now found out will have more books added - so hello? not a trilogy anymore) and I really need to talk to book loving people. The 13-year-olds crushing on vampires in the forums are making me a little squeamish. So anyone here read them and like to dish?

Eat, Pray, Love

This book is seemingly everywhere these days, and I hopped on the bandwagon before I knew such a wagon existed.

It's a book about a woman who travels to three countries to find...something. Herself. Peace. Faith. It's a spiritual book but not at all preachy, and it's a quick and interesting read. Some of what she learned healed me in a way I needed to be healed, and that's never a bad thing.

Two Recent Reads

I recently finished two good books. The first was "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" by Lisa See. While it spanned almost a century, it was a surprisingly quick read. Recommended by a friend, I was nervous that it was going to be all history and dates which is the reason that "Devil in the White City" will probably rot in the back of my closet* or become kindling next winter. The story traces the history of a friendship that spans a half century in China. It was the kind of book that made me turn on my computer at 11:00pm to check out pictures of foot-binding. Since I finished, I have thought about or spoken to someone about the book several times, which is always the mark of a good read. Highly recommended.

The other book I just finished was "Water For Elephants."  You know how some books are tough to get into. This wasn't. While there are a cast of characters, they are all introduced in spurts and you kind of pick them up as you go (like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz) and so it's not overwhelming. The author tells the story in flashback mode, so there's this toggle between his 2o-something  and 90-something self. Of course you want to skip the 90 year old part and get back to the juicy life with the circus, but you can't because it's also funny and sweet in it's own right. I bought it last week on sale (hardcover) but it's coming out in paperback next month.

* If anyone wants Devil in the White City leave a message with your email here!

The Saving Graces by Patricia Gaffney

This weekend, I read a book that had been on my Amazon Wish List since I met the author two years ago. I finally received it last Christmas and finally started it on Saturday. I recommend The Saving Graces by Patricia Gaffney to the group. I enjoyed it but it didn't blow me away.

The book is about four women who have been close friend for ten years and all the things that their friendships go through during that time. There are romances in the book, but they aren't the focus. All of the characters are likable and I think that Patricia Gaffney did a good job of keeping their voices distinct, except for the fact that two different characters used the word "callow" in their thoughts. If I had to look it up, I don't think the word is in common enough usage to have more than one character use it so naturally, but it was a minor point and maybe just a personal peeve. If you do read this book, you should be prepared for the waterworks that will accompany the last 1-2 hours of reading.

Two New Books

While I can't seem to finish any of the group books on time (or at all) I did finish two others over the holiday. The Tenth Circle by Jodi Piccoult and "The Guy Not Taken" by Jennifer Weiner.  The Piccoult book is a scary wake-up call for mothers of teen or pre-teen girls. My daughter isn't even two yet and we are already afraid. I was a little disappointed with Weiner, not because of the writing, but because I didn't read the back to know it was a collection of very short stories. If you are looking for the usual mindless chick lit - this isn't it. Don't want to share too much here and ruin it for someone else.

Two (Sorta) Recommendations

I read two new books this week already: "Daughter's Keeper," by Ayelet Waldman, and "The Dive from Clausen's Pier," by Ann Packer, which always reminds me of PM, cuz we watched the made-for-TV movie (it was, wasn't it?) at the same time once.

Daughter's Keeper was dull. Touched on some good topics but didn't explore them enough for me. Also, I didn't really give a shit about the characters - or feel that significant evidence had been given to support the growing bond between mother and daughter. Not to mention, it was very predictable.

Clausen's Pier was okay. I never watched the entire movie, so I didn't know much of what took place after the dive (but then, not sure how much of NY, Kilroy, etc the movie actually delved into). I cared about the characters a little more here, but again, it was fairly predictable and I didn't care for the ending.

Next Books

When should Chatty and I have our book choices posted by?  I'm trying to order all of mine on Half.com and unfortunately they take a little longer to get here so I'm not finishing reading by the deadlines.  Is there anyway we can give each book a week longer?  Or post our choices earlier?  Or maybe it's only me having issues and then I'll just shut up.

Some other suggestions

Ok so the first list of 5 has gotten mixed responses.  I agree that Picoult is too heavy for right now (and maybe altogether since both KTP and I have read most of them).  Books 4 & 5 are too new for those of us who are relying on the library or half.com.   So thanks to the Seattle Public Library's "If you like... you'll like..." lists I've come up with some more suggestions. 

1.  Welcome to My Planet: Where English is Sometimes Spoken - Single chick struggling with life amongst married and married with kids friends.  Boys suck and she loves Target.

2. The Solomon Sisters Wise Up - Relationship between sisters who are in varying stages of their lives.

3. Ella Minnow Pea - This looks like fun, although perhaps not as trashy as some would like. :)

4. So 5 Minutes Ago - This would make up for trashyness. :) A celebrity publicist's life in LA.

5. Best Enemies - Once upon a time 2 girls were best friends.  One slept with the other's fiance.  Now they try to one up each other with how fabulous their lives are.  Told from both points of view so it could be very interesting.

6. The Book of Joe - A guy wrote an autobiography and did not paint the residents of his town in a good light.  Now he returns to that town to care for an ailing father.  How he and the town react.

7.  The Cinderella Rules - An heiress who had eschewed her glitzy life agrees to help her sister and reenters society.  Corporate espionage and hotties, what more does one need?

8.  Getting Over It - Early chick lit.  A 20something in London survives life and the loss of a parent.

9. What She Saw In - A woman's catalogue of past loves and what she saw in each of them.

10. Welcome to the Great Mysterious - A Broadway diva goes back to the small town she grew up in to take care of her nephew who has down's syndrome for a month.  She discoveres amongst some boxes a scrapbook she and her sister put together when they were children. 

Please vote for the one you think would be a fun and good read.  We'll go with the one with the highest votes.  Ideally I'd like to try ones that nobody has read before, but realistically with the number of people we have that could be difficult.

Size 12 is Not Fat and Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons are both still on the table as possibles as well. 

Also, please feel free to suggest your own stories in whatever genre you may like.  I've started with chick lit because that seems to be a popular genre and they are more light and airy reads.  I personally read a lot of different genres from mysteries to hard boiled crime novels and sometimes science fiction/fantasy.