The Maze Runner

Our December Book

The Maze Runner

By James Dashner

This month we read a book from a genre we haven't really visited too much...at least not since our very first book (which was also chosen by me) when we read Time Traveler's Wife. I love science fiction and fantasy and this book didn't disappoint. It's a young adult book which is made it pretty easy to read, especially because it was long. The plot was really interesting the entire way through. We all seemed to be mostly talking about the end of the book because that's where we finally figured things out but still had lots of questions! It was a fun read!

Here are the lovely ladies of The Chicks With Books!

I just realized it's our last book of 2009! Crazy! I'm excited for the books and get-togethers in 2010!

I'm So Happy For You

Our November Book

I'm So Happy For You

By Lucinda Rosenfeld

I just got home from amazing Greek food at book club. Seriously, it was awesome. Opa! to the flaming cheese. Yum!

Enough about food though...the general consensus was that we didn't really like the book. There were only four of us and one of us didn't even read it...so I'm not sure it was a completely horrible book but it kind of seems that way. The main character was completely superficial and negative and maybe there are people in the world like that...but it wasn't any of us and we couldn't really relate to the character in the book. There were some things I thought were relate-able, like the stress she was feeling at not being able to get pregnant right away, believe me, that was relate-able...but there were lots of other parts that were dumb. I, personally, think she should have given up on her fake friends and gotten some real friends but that's just me. Anyone out there who's read this book? I'd love to have your opinion! BUT, if you haven't read it, don't read it for my sake.

Our October Book

Moloka'i

By Alan Brennert

Only a few of us made it through this book. It was a great book but it was a tad long and the print was a touch, well, actually, super tiny and it was 400 pages long. Those of that did read it thoroughly enjoyed it. We talked about some parts that we wish they had explained more and parts that struck a chord with us. There were so many interesting issues brought up in this book...maybe it was a little bit forced, but I thought it was great. This book chronicles the life of one girl who is quarantined to an island when she contracts leprosy. This was a historical fiction book that many of enjoyed because it gave some insight to a part of history we had either not heard of or briefly heard of before.

We did remember to take our picture this month! All is right in the world.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society

Our September Book

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society

By Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

This, personally, was a favorite of mine! This book is written through letters and notes and newspaper clippings to tell the story of Juliet, a writer who befriends a man in Guernsey after WWII. They write letters back and forth as two book lovers until Juliet goes to visit Guernsey and finds herself more than just in love with books. I don't think everyone was entirely smitten with this book as I was but we did have some good discussions about Markum Reynolds and Elizabeth.

Can you believe we didn't take a picture this time!?!?! I'm saddened by this. Sorry.

The Road of Lost Innocence

Our August Book:

The Road of Lost Innocence

By Somaly Mam

This book was an interesting look into sexual trafficking of young girls. We were all appalled at this going on in a world that we live in. It seemed like this book became too much of a documentary towards the last half but I think most of us enjoyed this book. It's amazing what the author lived through but then also that she was able to overcome and work as a crusader to help young girls in her country.

This picture turned out grainy because I had to adjust it to get lighting and to zoom in...bummer.

Candy Girl

Our July Book

Candy Girl

By Diablo Cody

We met in July to discuss Candy Girl. We all thought it was interesting to read about stripping since none of us really have any experience with the world of stripping. I thought there were some interesting things in this book, things I had never thought about and some that were even hard to believe. We took lots of pictures at dinner because we had some good food! Oh, and, surprise! April is pregnant!

The girls with triple martinis!

Awesome artichoke dip!

Fried calamari!

I had to do some major editing to this picture because it just didn't turn out right...that's why it looks so funny!

Beneath a Marble Sky

Our June Book:

Beneath a Marble Sky

By John Shors

This month we ate at California Pizza Kitchen to discuss John Shors' Beneath a Marble Sky.  There were some mixed emotions about the book but I think most of us liked it.  We thought it was interesting to read about the history of the Taj Mahal...but weren't sure how much was true or what happened after the story ended.  (I'll have to go do some research.)  We're pretty sure though the royal family were based mostly on real characters.  We seemed to like how smart/witty the main character was at times.  We discussed the fact that the author was a man writing in the perspective of a woman.  It didn't seem that noticeable, at least not to me anyway.  Silvia noted that fact that we have read a few books that all have people who are in polygamist marriages and that that was interesting how it crosses cultures but yet is so harshly regarded in our society.  Here we are, our little group this month:

The Book of Dahlia

May Book of the Month

The Book of Dahlia 

By Elisa Albert

The Book of Dahlia is about a young woman who is diagnosed with a brain tumor.  As she goes through treatment, we learn about her life and about her childhood.  We all agree that this book definitely ended suddenly.  Some of us were disappointed that she didn't take advantage of the time she had but others felt it was true to the character and maybe even true to life. 

I, personally, enjoyed the book.  I loved the character's voice.  It truly re

ad as though yo

u were talking to a friend, and she was completely uncensored.  I felt bad for everything that happened to her in her life and for how people treated her.  I thought that the ending was unique because I'm sure there are people who die before they realize they are going to die and that it is so unexpected.  I was glad that it wasn't a story about someone overcoming cancer because not everyone does.   

It was a small group this time, but we had fun celebrating Silvia's birthday with her!

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

April Book of the Month

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

By Stieg Larsson

We met Thursday night to discuss The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.  I think the ones of us who finished it really loved it.  We agreed that it's a pretty messed up story and some parts were very graphic, but the plot was still great.  This book is the first in a series of three.  The second book will be released in July.  For some of us it was hard to get into at the beginning and others loved it from beginning to end (Christina!).  

We talked about what we were thinking was going to have happened to Harriet compared to what we found out actually happened to Harriett.  We also discussed what happened in Lisbeth Salander's childhood that made her as messed up as she was.  

We ate Mexican food at El Meson and then had chocolate covered pretzels with mini M&Ms for dessert.  This month we also celebrated our one year anniversary of The Chicks With Books Book Club!  Woo hoo to us!

The Mole People

March Book of the Month:

The Mole People

By Jennifer Toth

For book club this month, we read The Mole People which is a collection of stories about the lives of people living in the tunnels underground in New York City.  It was a pretty amazing and hard-to-believe book.  The author must have been pretty brave...or stupid...to go where she went and try get herself into situations she describes in the book.  It's also sad to think there are real people living in the underground tunnels, that our world allows that.  

We had fun eating Japanese food. Some of us tried suchi for the first time...me included.  I actually didn't mind it...although I wasn't a fan of having to put the whole thing in my mouth all at once.  We got to eat in a tea room and try all sorts of great food.  

The Red Tent

February Book of the Month

The Red Tent

By Anita Diamant

I can't speak for those of us who couldn't make it to book club tonight, but everyone who was there really enjoyed the book this month!  The Red Tent is a religious fiction book about Dinah, the daughter of Jacob.  I thought this was a great book about family and mothers and daughters.  I have to admit that it was a little slow moving, especially in the beginning of the book, but I found myself really liking the character.  

We welcomed a new member(...or two or three???) to the book club tonight.  Kim joined our book club this time and got a dose of our craziness.  We also have a potential new member...our waiter!  ...Or maybe his wife, perhaps?  

The Hour I First Believed

January Book of the Month

The Hour I First Believed

By Wally Lamb

We had some more crazy weather this month...but we decided to go ahead with book club anyway.  We met at the mall again this time.  I kind of like meeting at the mall because it gives me an excuse to get some shopping done!  Although, I don't think Chad necessarily likes all the bags I came home with!  In my defense, I think every single thing I bought was on sale!  

We had a pretty good discussion of the book because there were so many things to discuss.  I, personally, thought it was a well-written book and I liked the story and how so many things intertwined with each other, but at the same time I thought it was crazy that there were sooooo many different storylines going on and there were so many people with so many crazy issues.  I have to say it wasn't my favorite book though.  Tania, on the other hand, really liked this book and Wally Lamb is her favorite author.  She explained how she could relate to it because her family and friends remind her of the characters in the stories...as far as having crazy stories and issues themselves.