October/November Book Selections

OK…I know it has been a while….but I am a full time student and I have had NO time Absolutely NO time to read anything except for textbooks!!! I have read some interesting stories in World Literature that I wouldn’t have NEVER read otherwise though, like Andorra by Max Frisch and Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne Moody a civil rights activist and other short stories like Heart of Darkness, Barn Burning , and The Visit ..Anyway moving on. In my leisure time I am reading The Wench by Dolin Perkins – Valdez and next up will be Getting to Happy by Terry McMillian (the sequel to Waiting to Exhale). The Wench right now is so far so good, I have the book for a month or more and I am only on chapter 5..yea..shows you how much time I have to read, but I am determined to keep reading and keep posting.

July Books (late post)

This is a late post, but I literally just finished reading this book, so this could really be considered an August read as well. :) I have been finishing up my associates degree in social work, so it took me a little longer than normal to finish it.
This is the second book that I have read by Jodi Picoult and I really like her. I like how she organizes her books and writes from the perspective of each character, so you really get a clear picture of whats going on. The first book I read by her was called The Pact. I read it in May right after I read Hannahs List, but I dont know how come I didnt blog about it, because it was very good.
This book was really good. If it were a movie, I would categorize it under "heart felt, family drama". Ohhh it was good, it read just like a good movie, and it was very informational too.
This book lets us into the lives of Sean and Charlotte O'Keefe and their struggle to raise thier two daughters Amelia and Willow. Their lives are no different from anyother famiy except for the fact that Willow suffers from a rare bone disease called Osteogenisis Imperfecta (OI). I had never heard of this disease and its devastating effects until I read this book. This family is pushed to the brink of seperation when medical and other bills began to get out of control.
We can all relate to having to make tough decisions in our lives and sometimes those choices affect more than just us. But we do what we feel is best for our family. This book is about making the hard choices, and in the end it may have you questioning some of your own decisions. I hope you enjoy it, it really makes for a great discussion!!

More June Books

Loved, Loved, Loved this book. I think it is a Miltary spouse must read. The author did a great job at capturing the real life struggles of a miltary family. I feel that every miltary spouse can relate to Grace Bennet in some way. Here is the synopsis of The Ocean Between Us:

Grace Bennett has it all -- three wonderful children, a devoted husband and a life of adventure and travel. But beneath the calm demeanor of an efficient Navy wife, Grace stands at the crossroads -- of her life and her marriage. When she looks in the mirror, she doesn't recognize the person staring back. She's tired, out of shape and feeling invisible. Somewhere between her husband's demanding career, raising a family, the constant uprooting and the Navy's routine, Grace has lost her sense of self. Something needs to change. She needs to change. Steve Bennett simply can't understand the unraveling of his wife's heart. He thought he was proving his love to her with each promotion. He believed he could still be a good husband and father while juggling an officer's myriad duties. But he now realizes they were seeing their marriage through different eyes. And when a nearly forgotten secret resurfaces, Grace's discontent comes into sharp focus. Now Steve must try to make their marriage right again before his next deployment. For himself. For his family. For the twenty years of shared history that have always anchored him to home. Then duty calls. Separated by an ocean of regrets and longing, Grace and Steve take a hard took at their faltering marriage, the love that brought them together and the family they cherish. They confront the choices they've made, the sacrifices they've rationalized and the dreams they've set adrift. But just as they come to grips with their marriage, the unthinkable happens -- a disaster aboard Steve's aircraft carrier shatters Grace's world. As she gathers her children around her and waits for news, she faces a Navy wife's worst nightmare -- the cold truth that life's biggest chances can slip away while you're looking for guarantees.

Enjoy!!

Books Im reading for June

I found out about this book from a commercial on XM Radio...it had been coming on alot on the Oprah channel so I decided to google it and see what it was all about. I found out that this book was on the NewYork Bestsellers List, so I decided to give it a try.

I really enjoyed the book right from the beginning. I found it to be an easy and light read. I thorughly enjoyed every moment of it. As young married woman I wondered to myself if I could have been as selfless as Hannah was, but I still havent made my mind up on the issue...lol. Maybe after you read this book we can discuss it.

Enjoy!

May Book Selection

This book has been deemed as the must read book of the year!! Do I agree??? YESSS…Ahh this book is Uhmazing, I cant belive it took me this long to read it . Thanks to some convincing from my dear friend T.S who heard about it from her friend , who heard about it from her mother…yea, you know how that goes and now I am passing this fabulous read on to all of you.

Now don’t be alarmed by the size of this book (451 pg) , trust me it is soooo good, you will finish it in no time and you may even find yourself wanting more!! It should also make for some interesting conversation

Enjoy!!

Synopsis

Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.
Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.
Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.
Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.
Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.
In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women--mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends--view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.
Copyright ©2009 Kathryn StockettSite

Babylon Discussion Questions

For those who have been reading Babylon Sisters , here are a few questions to discuss.

1. “There is a theory,” she said, slowly, “that women’s romantic relationships with men are totally shaped by their fathers. If it’s a bad relationship, those women will seek out men who are like the father over and over in order to see if they can resolve issues that began in early childhood.” (p. 18) Do you think there’s any truth to this theory? If so, is there anything women with less than positive relationships with their fathers can do to break the cycle?





2.“My generation is still struggling to find the balance between love and freedom, sex and romance, family and career. Sometimes we get it right, but more often, we don’t.” (p. 21) How do you feel about Catherine’s observation that her generation is “still struggling” with these important questions? Is this struggle a challenge in your own life? How do you think women address these questions in their daily lives, personally and professionally?

April Book Club Selections!!

Alright Ladies, here are the selections we have made for this month. I know that Mothers Day is in May but we are going to get a jump on it by reading two books that are centered around Mother and Daughter relationships. Before we begin the books I want to start with a question.

1. What type of relationship do you have with your mother? What type of relationship do you want to have with your mother?

Catherine Sanderson seems to have it all: a fulfilling career helping immigrant women find jobs, a lovely home, and a beautiful, intelligent daughter on her way to Smith College. What Catherine doesn’t have: a father for her child– and she’s spent many years dodging her daughter’s questions about it. Now Phoebe is old enough to start poking around on her own. It doesn’t help matters that the mystery man, B.J. Johnson–the only man Catherine has ever loved–doesn’t even know about Phoebe. He’s been living in Africa.Now B.J., a renowned newspaper correspondent, is back in town and needs Catherine’s help cracking a story about a female slavery ring operating right on the streets of Atlanta. Catherine is eager to help B.J., despite her heart’s uncertainty over meeting him again after so long, and confessing the truth to him–and their daughter. Meanwhile, Catherine’s hands are more than full since she’s taken on a new client. Atlanta’s legendary Miss Mandeville–a housekeeper turned tycoon–is eager to have Catherine staff her housekeeping business. But why are the steely Miss Mandeville and her all-too-slick sidekick Sam so interested in Catherine’s connection to B.J.? What transpires is an explosive story that takes her world–not to mention the entire city of Atlanta–by storm.From the New York Times bestselling author of What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day . . . comes another fast-paced and emotionally resonant novel, by turns warm and funny, serious and raw. Pearl Cleage’s ability to create a gripping story centered on strong, spirited black women and the important issues they face remains unrivaled.

Seventy Two Hour Hold is the story of Keri, a woman caught up in a love triangle between her ex-husband and her actor boyfriend. Her world is shattered when her beloved child develops a mental illness. Unable to get the help she needs from the mental health system, Keri joins forces with the volatile Bethany, whose daughter is also unstable. Fed up, the two take to the road in search of the healing for their children promised by a band of radical underground mental health workers. Their arduous journey tries their souls in every way imaginable but ultimately leads both women to a greater understanding of what it means to love unconditionally."

Both of these books can be found on Amazon.com and are both available on Kindle...my new found love, but ill get into that another time. You can also check local bookstores and libraries as well. Enjoy and I look forward to discussing these books with you.

WELCOME

Welcome Welcome Welcome...Well the time has finally come, after months and months of deciding whether to start writing a blog or not the time has finally come and its all about BOOKS.



Books are my first love! I have been an avid reader since the time I could read. Reading has always been a great escape for me. No matter what my enviroment was, a good book could transport me right out of there. Books have been a constant quiet friend, and the only friend that doesnt offend me by showing me its backside..LOL...

I now would like to share my love affair with everyone else. I would like this book blog to become a meeting place for readers from all over who dont mind reading and telling! New readers welcome as well!!



The plan right now is to do 2 books a month and I will post discsussion questions weekly as well as a review at the end. I have so many plans for this blog but you have to stay tuned and participate.



So come along and bring a friend as Real Women, read Real Books and have Real Talk!!



Book List Coming Soon!!!

Until then check out the other pages on the site:

Real Women Cook and Real Kids Read Too.