Book club meeting this Monday!

Well I hope everyone is well on their way to finishing The Oath. We will be meeting to discuss Frank Peretti's amazing book this Monday at Jazzed coffeehouse in Brentwood at 7:00pm. Don't miss it...even if you didn't read it. :)

Remember to grab yourselves one of the Brentwood City Read books from Pete's in Brentwood or the Starbucks on Balfour or the library.

Brentwood City Read

Wanted to let you all know Brentwood holds a City Read every year and basically that means they choose a book, pass it out to anyone who wants to read it and then invite the author to come do a reading and answer questions about the book.

The book, The Samuri's Garden, is available, free of charge, at Peets and the Starbucks or the library in Brentwood, you read the book then pass it on. I thought it would be fun to read the book and attend the reading in November as a book club. :) We could substitute it for our November meeting, we can discuss in October.

Happy Reading!

The Oath

Well I hope your well on your way to finding out the secret kept hidden for decades in the small town of Hyde River. If you haven't already, jot down some feelings, thoughts or emotions that you may have while reading the book either about the characters, story or the concept of the book, that way you'll remember them when we meet for book club in October!

I am going to enjoy the conversation generated by this novel.
Read on Girls, read on!

Book Club Begins!!!

Come one, come all to Bluestocking's Book Club! Yeah! I hope you all had a fabulous summer and are excited to get back together and flex our mental muscles. Don't worry the first book for September is a gentle read that I think everyone will enjoy.

Write these dates in your calendars ladies and be ready to discuss the book for that month;

Monday, September 10th- Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos

Monday, October 8th- The Oath by Frank Peretti

Monday, November 12th-Color Me Butterfly by L.Y. Marlow, might have to order this online

December- No Meeting


Resume in January, so let me know now if you have suggestions for next year's reads.

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We will be meeting at Jazzed, a cool coffeehouse in Brentwood on Sunset, owned by some neat Christian people. They will even set-up a table for us and have our drinks ready if we call in advance!! Book Club will begin at 7:00pm and be done by 9:00pm, so plan now and don't miss out.


Get your book now to start reading for our meeting in September!!

The Dead Whisper On ~ Hip to be Square

Okay ladies, I have two more books for ya. One is a darker story, the other is fun. Let's start with the dark......

The Dead Whisper On by T.L. Hines - Do you remember Waking Lazarus? (The guy who died 3 times) Well this is his 2nd book and like the last one it's a chiller. If you creep-out easily than this isn't something to read before bed. It actually didn't bother me, but then again maybe I'm a creep.(?) It's about Canada MacHugh who lives in down and out Butte, Montana. 11 years after her father has died he starts speaking to her. I don't want to give away too much of the story, but he's offering her a chance to do some good in the world, to expose some wrong doings. But, of course there are forces at work that don't want her to succeed with her missions. (What kind of thriller would it be if someone isn't chasing someone else?) Even though it's a dark book, it is a story of hope and about whether to listen to the things your heart believes. I enjoy a thriller now and then with a little conspiracy theory thrown in.

And now the fun book......

Hip to be Square by Hope Lyda - I would call this a coming of age story, but the lead character, Mari Hamilton, is almost 30 and hasn't accomplished any of her "before 30 goals". Mari is single and works at a retirement home, so the only men she meets are seniors. Instead of receiving Vogue in the mail she gets the AARP Newsletter. She finds herself wishing for a change, but at the same time hates change and avoids it like the plague. One of the things I loved about this book are her friends. Now I love a good inspirational book with solid examples of Christian character, but I also love books where the character seem more, I don't know, real? (flaws and all) Even though they are all christian ladies they are not always nice and don't always get along. This is a humorous book with a touch of sarcasm. Some parts of her life seem to fall together a little too easily, but over all it was a fun story.

Well that's all for now, thanks to Jen H. for introducing me to Jodi Picoult, I enjoyed the tragic My Sister's Keeper and am now off to read the only other book I found by her at my local library - Plain Truth. I have to admit that the Amish lifestyle intrigues me. Hope to hear from some more of you soon!

Happy Reading ~Mo

Baby Proof

“Baby Proof” by Emily Giffin is not, by any means, a novel whose writing will move you or deeply impact you. It is a very light and quick summer read. It is about a woman who basically knows from the time that she is a little girl that she does not want children. She shares her decision with every man she dates, only to find out that none of them feel the same way. She finally meets a man who also does not want children, falls in love and they get married. A couple of years into their marriage, one of them changes their mind and wants children after all. The book is about what can happen in a marriage when two people now want different things….what they will do and will not do for the person they love. Overall, it was a fast, enjoyable read…I got through the 348 pages in less than 2 days.

It's About Your Husband by Lauren Lipton

Okay, I've never posted a blog before and grammar is not my strong point........but here goes. I have read a few books lately but nothing really "blogworthy". One book I did enjoy though is, It's about your husband by Lauren Lipton. This is not a deep or thought provoking book, it is simply a fun read. The book is about Iris, a woman who leaves the West Coast for her dream job on the East Coast, only to find herself quickly unemployed and in debt. Desperate for an income and with time on her hands and absolutely no clue on how to be a Private Eye, she agrees to spy on her friends sister's husband. Hilarity follows. This book reminded me a lot of Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. (Another one I really liked) It's a quirky, romantic comedy. Although Husband is not quite as funny as Shopaholic, I really enjoyed it. I also recently read The Jester by James Patterson. After having a little trouble getting started on this book, I was told that of all the books he has written, this is one of his most graphic. It takes place during The Crusades so there is lots of violence. I did enjoy the story and will try to read him again (Jen, maybe you could suggest a good one for me.) however if you have a weak stomach, it would be better to skip this one. We are going down south next week and I am taking 3 new books with me. Hopefully I will have a jem or two to write about in a couple of weeks. ~Monica

Lisey's Story by Stephen King

To read 650 pages of any book, you have to, at the very least, love the author. I have read Stephen King's stories since I was in high school and I owe him my current fear of clowns and storm drains. His book on writing, called appropriately-On Writing, inspired me to pursue the creative process of writing and get caught up in the story instead of worrying about the grammar.

Lisey's Story (pronounced Lee Cee) is about the muse behind a famous author, his wife. It's really a tale of their love that even continues after his death. (Don't freak out, the back cover let's you know the story is about a widow.)

I didn't realize when I picked this book up that it was 650 pages. It wasn't until three days later, and I was only 1/2 way through it, that I bothered to look at the page number at the end. Don't judge a book by its size! I bought the paperback edition and it it narrower than a normal paperback, though longer, but it really didn't seem like a 650 page book.

That said, the story keeps you going. King writes in a wild way that keeps you wondering how the thing, he just threw at ya from left field, fits into the story. He references other novels and uses lots of literary points...of course he is writing about an author and the author's process. The cadence of the story is rhythmic and even poetic at times, and though there are some creepy spots it is by no means a horror story, it is a love story, Stephen King style!

I would recommend it to most and encourage them not to be daunted by the 650 pages but sit back and enjoy a novel that takes you where only good imagination can.

I LOVE BOOKS

On my adventure to So Cal I always stop at a wonderful thrift store in Ventura. It has a wall that is covered in books, it is pretty overwhelming, but I always come home with a few treasures to add to the library. One that I picked up is Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, An African Childhood, by Alexandra Fuller. This is a memoir about a girl and her families life in Southern Africa. A place full of adversity, beauty, heartache and at times laughter even in the most dire circumstances. I have not finished but I am enjoying reading about a place where my preconceived ideas are inaccurate. I'll let you know what I think when I finish. Happy Reading.

Jen on Nikki's Middle Eastern Reads

I totally agree with Nikki on these two books. What facinated me was how each one of them gave you a glimpse into the different Middle Eastern Countries of Afghanistan, A Thousand Splendid Suns, and Pakistan, Reluctant Fundamentalist. In my ignorance, I had pictured these countries as always being war torn and violent, that was not always the case.

These countries have rich heritages and both authors do a marvelous job of bringing them to life for the reader. Both of these books deal with some sensitive issues but once again the authors do a really good job of telling the stories of their characters and letting the reader draw their own conclusions.

I was very "reluctant" to purchase The Reluctant Fundamentalist, afraid it would be political propaganda. It was not, the author did a good job of writing about the strong points about America but also gave a pretty accurate view of the weaknesses of this country and how we are preceived by the world. This book was also written in a very unusual way- it is a one-sided conversation, the author pulls it off well.

All said, both of these books deserve to be read and discussed, the writing is good, the story and plots are engaging, it is worth your time.

May I be one of the first to utilize this fine tool!
Recently I was handed two Fabulous books, from Jen, through Barb (thanks Jen ;)

First off, A Thousand Splendid Suns by the author (Khalded Hosseini) who wrote that stomach wrenching read: the Kite Runner....this one was a tad less graphic, but even more moving. The setting is Afghanistan over the last 30 years...the story describes the plight/value/position of women during this timeframe. At times I had the mental picture of an international Scarlet O'hara of sorts, standing on a dusty mound and crying for her land.....Hosseini paints a picture of a beautiful country, rich with beauty, bound by unfair traditions and grasping for change. In the middle of that country people are struggling to find love, success, or just plain survive with minimal physical damage. The love story is wrought with wounds and there is a strong Color Purple bond between the women in the story.....Jen and Barb can fill out the description.....It's a MUST read!

The second book I read was a fast, mental feast called The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid. You can guess at the subject matter from the author's name and the title, but you won't be expecting the tale of twisted love and thought provoking perspective you're delivered!
The male in the narrative, Changez is his name, jets between Lahore, Pakistan, New York City, Greece and even Chile. Over the course of one year, he experiences all of lifes joys and sorrows, as well as the altering sway of international politics. The ending is dramatic and unexpected, as controversial as the Sopranos' last show...this is a definite conversation starter.....an eye-opener to the personal side of world conflict that we, in the East Bay are nearly sheltered from....
I'm still reeling from this one ....it was SOOOO Goood!
So that's it....let me know when you've picked one up....I'm dying to discuss the details of these two.....
Good night, or is it morning! And Hurray for Summertime :D

The Tenth Circle by Jodi Piccoult

I began this book at 5:00pm and finished while applying my make-up the next morning. As in usual Jodi Piccoult fashion, this story involves delving into the deeper layers of family relationships after a cataclysmic event shakes them out of their daily grind.

The book involves a look into the love life of a 14 year old girl and the drama and heartache that naturally evolves. The natural evolution though is aborted when an event takes place that makes a father slip back into a past he has been trying his whole life to forget, a mother reveal a shameful secret and their teenage daughter whose decision ensures none of their lives will ever be the same again.

I would rate this book a 7 on a scale from 1-10. Jodi writes very well and she keeps the story moving but I feel she had a little bit too much detail in this book and though the ending was not as tragic as some of her other novels it was a little far fetched... in my opinion...just a little, not obnoxiously over the top just a little far-fetched. The characters were very likable and real and I became quickly invested in their stories.

On the whole, this book brings up some of the not so nice things about high school and teenagers, for some it may bring back some flash backs, but it was a worthy read and I would suggest it to any Bookie.