Wednesday, February 21, 2024

March Books: Tuck Everlasting & Gift From The Sea

Last night we had a great discussion led by Olivia about the book Hello Beautiful. Olivia also had a fun treat to tie-in with the book, donuts and ice cream. 

For March we will be reading and discussing two books. Amy picked Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt and Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. 

The beloved children’s classic with more than more than 5 million copies in print.

From Newbery Honor and E. B. White Award–winning author Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting is a spellbinding modern-day masterpiece about immortality, friendship, and growing up that’s sure to be an all-time favorite for every generation.

Is eternal life a blessing or a curse? That is what young Winnie Foster must decide when she discovers a spring on her family’s property whose waters grant immortality. Members of the Tuck family, having drunk from the spring, tell Winnie of their experiences watching life go by and never growing older. But then Winnie must decide whether or not to keep the Tucks’ secret―and whether or not to join them on their never-ending journey.

A staple on home bookshelves and in classrooms and libraries, 
Tuck Everlasting is a timeless story that has captivated readers of all ages for almost half a century.


50th ANNIVERSARY EDITION • With meditations on youth and age, love and marriage, peace, solitude, and contentment, here is an inimitable classic that guides us to find a space for contemplation and creativity in our own lives.

"Gift from the Sea is like a shell itself in its small and perfect form ... It tells of light and life and love and the security that lies at the heart." —New York Times Book Review

Drawing inspiration from the the shells on the shore, Lindbergh's musings on the shape of a woman's life will bring new understanding to readers, male and family, at any stage of life. A mother of five and professional writer, she casts an unsentimental eye at the trappings of modern life that threaten to overwhelm us—the timesaving gadgets that complicate our lives, the overcommitments that take us from our families.

With great wisdom and insight she describes the shifting shapes of relationships and marriage, presenting a vision of a life lived in enduring and evolving partnership. A groundbreaking work when it was first published, this book has retained its freshness as it has been rediscovered by generations of readers and is no less current today.

Looking forward to seeing everyone and discussing these books on Tuesday March 19, at 7:30 at Debby's. 

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Hello Beautiful - February's Book Pick

 Last night we had book club and our annual book exchange. Here is a list of the books that were exchanged last night. 

The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley by Courtney Walsh

How the Penguins Saved Veronica by Hazel Prior

The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

In Awe: Rediscover Your Childlike Wonder to Unleash Inspirations, Meanings, and Joy by John O'Leary

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

Beauty: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast by Robyn McKinley

Everyone left excited to have a new book to read. 

Olivia has picked our book for February. It is Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano. Here is some information about the book: 
William Waters grew up in a house silenced by tragedy, where his parents could hardly bear to look at him, much less love him—so when he meets the spirited and ambitious Julia Padavano in his freshman year of college, it’s as if the world has lit up around him. With Julia comes her family, as she and her three sisters are inseparable: Sylvie, the family’s dreamer, is happiest with her nose in a book; Cecelia is a free-spirited artist; and Emeline patiently takes care of them all. With the Padavanos, William experiences a newfound contentment; every moment in their house is filled with loving chaos.

But then darkness from William’s past surfaces, jeopardizing not only Julia’s carefully orchestrated plans for their future, but the sisters’ unshakeable devotion to one another. The result is a catastrophic family rift that changes their lives for generations. Will the loyalty that once rooted them be strong enough to draw them back together when it matters most?

An exquisite homage to Louisa May Alcott’s timeless classic, 
Little WomenHello Beautiful is a profoundly moving portrait of what is possible when we choose to love someone not in spite of who they are, but because of it.

We will meet on Tuesday February 20 at 7:30 pm at Debby's house to discuss the book. Hope to see you there. 

Monday, January 22, 2024

January Book Club

After several postponements, we are finally having book club to discuss Eight Keys by Suzanne LaFleur. We will meet at 7:30 at Debby's house on Tuesday January 23. 
We will also do a book exchange since we didn't make it happen in December. Bring your favorite book from 2023 (that we didn't read in book club) wrapped, if you would like to participate in the book exchange. Looking forward to reconnecting!

Monday, December 11, 2023

November Book Club Postponed

Debby picked Eight Keys by Suzanne LaFleur for our November book pick. Here is some information about the book:
Elise and Franklin have always been best friends. Elise has always lived in the big house with her loving Uncle and Aunt, because Elise's parents died when she was too young to remember them.  There's always been a barn behind the house with eight locked doors on the second floor.
When Elise and Franklin start middle school, things feel all wrong. Bullying. Not fitting in. Franklin suddenly seems babyish.  Then, soon after her 12th birthday, Elise receives a mysterious key left for her by her father. A key that unlocks one of the eight doors upstairs in the barn.

Unfortunately for book club but fortunately for Debby and Gary, Gary's surgery was scheduled for the week of book club and we don't have a new date yet.  


 

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

October's Book - Dracula


We had a great discussion about West With Giraffes last night. Alecia also made a delicious pumpkin dessert and had ice cream to put on top. 

Melissa has picked Dracula by Bram Stoker for our book for October. Here is some information about the book: 
During a business visit to Count Dracula's castle in Transylvania, a young English solicitor finds himself at the center of a series of horrifying incidents. Jonathan Harker is attacked by three phantom women, observes the Count's transformation from human to bat form, and discovers puncture wounds on his own neck that seem to have been made by teeth. Harker returns home upon his escape from Dracula's grim fortress, but a friend's strange malady — involving sleepwalking, inexplicable blood loss, and mysterious throat wounds — initiates a frantic vampire hunt. The popularity of Bram Stoker's 1897 horror romance is as deathless as any vampire. Its supernatural appeal has spawned a host of film and stage adaptations, and more than a century after its initial publication, it continues to hold readers spellbound.

We will meet at 7:30 on October 17 at Debby's house to discuss the book. Hope to see you there. 

Thursday, August 24, 2023

September Book - West With Giraffes

Alecia picked our book for September, West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge. We will meet at 7:30pm on Tuesday September 19 to discuss the book. 
Here is some information about the book: 

An emotional, rousing novel inspired by the incredible true story of two giraffes who made headlines and won the hearts of Depression-era America.

“Few true friends have I known and two were giraffes…”

Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. But when he learns giraffes are going extinct, he finds himself recalling the unforgettable experience he cannot take to his grave.

It’s 1938. The Great Depression lingers. Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. They find it in two giraffes who miraculously survive a hurricane while crossing the Atlantic. What follows is a twelve-day road trip in a custom truck to deliver Southern California’s first giraffes to the San Diego Zoo. Behind the wheel is the young Dust Bowl rowdy Woodrow. Inspired by true events, the tale weaves real-life figures with fictional ones, including the world’s first female zoo director, a crusty old man with a past, a young female photographer with a secret, and assorted reprobates as spotty as the giraffes.

Part adventure, part historical saga, and part coming-of-age love story, West with Giraffes explores what it means to be changed by the grace of animals, the kindness of strangers, the passing of time, and a story told before it’s too late.

Friday, July 21, 2023

Caraval - Book for August

Jess picked Caraval by Stephanie Garber for our August book. Here is some information about the book:
Welcome, welcome to CARAVAL, Stephanie Garber’s enchanting, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling fantasy debut about two sisters swept up in a mysterious competition filled with magic, heartbreak, and danger

Scarlett has never left the tiny island where she and her beloved sister, Tella, live with their powerful and cruel father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval, the far-away, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show, are over.

But this year, Scarlett's long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to attend. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season's Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, and her sister disappears forever.

Continue the adventure in 
Legendary and Finale.

We will meet a week later in August. We will be meeting on the fourth Tuesday which is August 22, 2023. We will meet at 7:30 at Debby's house.