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| Name : | Traci G. |
My Reviews
Jeannette wrote this memoir with such implicit honor to her parents. Although, her parents were not perfect she accepted their sometimes severe imperfections. I think attaching factor with her family was emotional security. Her family was truly unstable and adventurous.
We enjoyed reading this book and it was even funnier for those that listened to it. It was enjoyable and debatable. It was the best memoir we have read so far this year.
This story is told from Jenifer's perspective from the time of her diagnosis to the time of her death. Jenifer was extremely realistic unlike those that cared for her. She and her sisters embarked on journey to find a cure and they ultimately found reasons. The first and last chapters are remarkable.
This book is excellent. It's a WELL written true story with an abundance of historical detail that we can somewhat relate to. It brings an appreciation of history, innovation, and even devastation. Burham and Holmes have remarkable characteristics that are more similar than not. This was definitely a page-turner. You'll forget you're reading a true story just because it reads like a novel. This is for the historian and for those that enjoy mysteries/thrillers.
Note: I encourage you to add more pointed questions when having your discussion.
It was time for a light-hearted selection in our book club and nothing will make you float as light as a tale of growth and love in this magical story of the Waverleys. Sarah Addison Allen immediately engages the reader from the 1st chapter. I often equate the pace to that of a soap opera or sitcom. Not because the level of drama or humor in which we tend to relate sitcoms but because there is always something going on. The characters of her book are constantly interacting leaving little room to drift into the thoughts of just one character. It's a relief to see this kind of writing which makes for an easy read. The author could really view this as an episode and continue this story any time in the future.
Garden Spells is a magical tale of Claire Waverley who owns a catering business from her home in Bascom, North Carolina. The Waverleys have a mythical history of herbs and spices grown in the garden.
The discussion is wide range depending on your group - believers of magic vs. non believers and any possible biblical implications.
When reading this novel, I would ask is this really magic or is this just an enhanced view of women's intuition? Is this really a tale of how much power the Waverly women wish they had but never known how to use it?
This book was unexpected and a great read. It isn't your typical vampire story but it's a neat tale about the world of vampires as a species. The author takes you through the journey of a girl with amnesia, who is half human and half Ina. The author integrates human social issues throughout the book of race, gender, class and even a spice of sexual relations. Some critics believe that molestation lies throughout the book, but if you believe that, then it may mean you don't believe in vampires and the world of their own. The author sets new rules and a new lead - a black woman. Vampires are often caucasian men. To me, this story has parallells to the movie X MEN 3: The Last Stand. A struggle of between the mutants and the humans. Easily, this book could be made into a movie. As for the book club discussion, you can address this book from so many approaches beginning with the social issues represented among the Ina vs. human social issues through the classification of this book in science fiction vs. other science fiction the club members may have read. Enjoy!
Ok, this book had a lot of things going on. Poetry, faith building, some drama. It was well written but requires a lot of analysis. In order to enhance your discussion, you must look for metaphors at the time you are reading this book. Use the discussion questions as a guide. I felt like I was back in high school with this book. Remember the days when you had to read the book and discuss it in class? Do you remember how the teacher always wanted you to pull out the "deeper meaning"? Well, this is that book.
It's disappointing in that we felt that the character development could have been better. There was no true heroine/hero. There were a lot of unexplained biblical references.
Although it was slow, it was truly a sign of the times. The slowness of the novel made it hard to read so I later opted for the movie to grasp the points the author wanted to make. The discussion was easy and simple. Not many angles for discussion. Nice summer read.
We had the pleasure of having Arthur Phillips phone chat with us during our discussion. However, before we spoke to him, the book club held a healthy discussion. This book is a beautiful musical tribute to the impact a song can have on someone's life. We've all had those daydreaming moments when we hear a song..well, Julian takes us on his voyage of emotions from admiration and obsession of Cait to the self-reflection of his troubles. The other view to this book is... if you are a compassionate, fiction reader that longs for a conflict and for the author to take a noticeable position of judgement on the main character, then this may be a bit of pill for you swallow. Arthur Phillips never does in this book...he trusts his readers to do this making this an insightful discussion. The book is very well written and very lyrical. Most of us had to start over after reading the first chapter...this time with a deeper concentration.
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