Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons

Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik

read August 2010

This is our August book club book. Lori, my BFF, came with me last month to book club and recommended this as a good read. Being open to new ideas like we are, we went with it. I'm so glad that we did. This is a great book. Set in a Minneapolis, MN suburb, it is the story of 5 neighbors who form a book club in the 1960s. The book follows them over the course of 30 years. I found it a little tough to keep track of all the women in the beginning, but as the story progressed it became a little easier to get. Two thumbs up.

East of Eden

East of Eden by John Steinbeck

read July 2010

This was our bookclub book for July, which I didn't finish in time! I did finish it a couple of weeks ago, however. I really, really didn't think I would like this book. At all. I don't love anything else I've read by Steinbeck. This one was different. Loved it.

Keeping Faith

Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult

read August 2010

For some reason I keep getting sucked back into the world of Jodi Picoult. I've learned that people either love her work or hate it. You should read the reviews at goodreads.com and you'll see what I'm talking about! Although I have fought it for a long time, really do enjoy her books. Last month I read "House Rules". After reading that I thought, "Ugh, why do I read her stuff...". However, I picked "Keeping Faith" up at my mom's house last week and couldn't put it down. I really liked it.

In a nutshell, it's the story of a little girl (who's a non-practicing Jew, by the way) who suddenly develops a stigmata, begins quoting the bible, and even heals the sick. Her parents are in the middle of a pretty messy divorce when all of this begins. Oh, and by the way, God is a woman.

This one definitely kept my interest. Easy reading, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Enough to make me want to revisit one of my old faves of Picoult - "Salem Falls". My only issue with this is that there are way too many unanswered questions at the end of the book.

House Rules

House Rules by Jodi Picoult

read July 2010

Many people mock Jodi Picoult, but I do enjoy her books. This one - not my favorite, but it was good. 'House Rules' is about Jacob Hunt, a teenage boy with Asperger’s Syndrome. I don't really know much about AS (as they call it in the book), but it seems to be a form of Autism. Jacob is particularly obsessed with forensics. He’s always showing up at crime scenes, thanks to the police scanner he keeps in his room, and telling the cops what they need to do…and he’s usually right. But then one day his tutor is found dead, and the police come to question him. And...what do you know....Jacob finds himself accused of murder. There aren't as many plot twists as in some on Picoult's books that I've read in the past, but I would still recommend it. Easy read. Good for the beach, but it does make you think about how we communicate and how those that may not be able to communicate as well can sometimes have pretty crappy lives!

Blood Oath

Blood Oath by Christopher Farnsworth

read July 2010

I spent the July 4th weekend at my parents' cottage (Indian Lake). Even though I was only gone for a little over a day, I still found it necessary to bring two books with me. Well, I didn't tough either one b/c my sister brought me this one. It's the story of Nathaniel Cade, a vampire, who is sworn to serve and protect the President (yes, of the US). It seemed a little far-fetched when I read the book jacket, but it's written in a way that's actually believeable. It was so good...I didn't put it down all weekend and finished it late last night. I don't know that I would buy it, but it's a definite "must read".

Next, I need to finish my July Book Club book!

My Fair Lazy

My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster

read June 2010

I know I have said this before, but this time I mean it. If you haven't read anything by Jen Lancaster, run to the nearest bookstore and buy one of her books. I'm telling you to buy vs. going to the library because you WILL want to read them again. And again. She's just that funny.

This is her 4th book, and I was not disappointed. Her books tend to jump around a lot (that's just her style), but I thought this one jumped around a bit more than usual. It's an easy read - great for summer. Guaranteed to make you laugh out loud.

Little Bee - June Book Club Book

Little Bee by Chris Cleave

read June 2010

Little Bee was our June pick. I picked it because I had seen and read a lot about it and, when it came out in paperback, decided it was time to invest. (Side Note: I have to really love a book to buy it in hardback. I will not think twice about plunking down a few bones for a paperback, but you know I am in love when I buy the hard copy. It's a true sign of commitment....) I had to cram to read it, because I kept picking up magazines to read during my trip to NC the weekend before, but I did it. Read all 266 pages before our June 18th meeting.

Wow. This book was deep. It's the story of two women: Little Bee, a Nigerian refugee, and Sarah, a suburban housewife. Their lives connect years before when Sarah and her husband, Andrew, were on holiday in Africa. (Don't you love how the British say "holiday" instead of vacation? I do.) It's disturbing and sad. But also funny at times. Like how Sarah's son refuses to dress in anything but his Batman costume. (Spoiler Alert!) When Sarah's husband dies, it's Little Bee that really is there for her, saving her life in a way. There's this one particular scene at the funeral where Sarah's son jumps into the open grave and Little Bee gets him out. When Sarah thanks her, Little Bee shrugs it off by saying, "I just did what anyone would do". Sarah replies, "But nobody else did". Very poignant. The chapters switch back and forth between Little Bee and Sarah's voices (a la Jodi Picoult). I fancy that style of writing...keeps things fresh. I was impressed by the author's ability to successfully write from a woman's perspective. I did think that Sarah seemed a little detached. However, that probably had less to do with the fact that the author's a male and more to do with the fact that that's just how the character was. Maybe? Maybe not.

All in all, a good read. It's probably not the type of book I'd normally pick, but I'm glad I read it all the same. I wouldn't buy it it hard cover, though.