Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone!! I hope was Santa was good to all of you and that you are getting lots of rest and relaxation!!

See you all either on New Years or in the new year!!

Erinnnnn

Wishin' and hopin'

Hi BFabers...well I finished "Room" and really enjoyed the whole story (in fact, I could have read more and want to know what happens next). I'm so looking forward to talking about it at club with you!

I decided I needed a break from the heavy stuff and am now half way through a Madeleine Wickham story (she also writes under the name Sophie Kinsella..."Shopaholic" books) called "Cocktails for Three." It's not as funny as her previous books, but in my opinion, the characters are truer and you really start to feel for them as their stories unfold. It's a cute and easy read...the perfect little escape during the holidays!

I was also reminded of another fun read I devoured in a day last Christmas from my fave author Wally Lamb - it's called "Wishin' and Hopin'" and is a Christmas story told from the perspective of a little mischevious boy - I loved it and you will too!

Anyways, wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and I hope you all got some new good reads under the tree this year ;)

xoxo

Thoughts on "Room"

Hello BFABers...so glad our condo here in Arizona has Wi-Fi, so I can bring you my little updates!!! I am about 75% through our first selection "Room" (and I know this thanks to the amazing Kobo..an early birthday gift from my bro!)and am absolutely loving the story. I can't put it down and need to know what will happen next. I was worried about following along in the voice of 5 year old Jack (as I remember how annoying the speech of the same aged boy in Little Bee was); however, it is equally unique and cute in this novel. I love how he refers to objects as people (even capitalising their names: "Bed" "Table" "Dresser") and how he thinks...it really is amazing how close I believe the author got into the mind of a true 5 year old. I think of conversations I have with my grade one students and the tangeants they go off on...soooo funny!

I think too of the amazing courage and resiliance of Ma who educates him incredibly well (in all "subjects" including phys ed..yes, such a teacher comment) and comes up with awesome little games to build Jack's vocabulary. I am a little creeped out by her breast feeding and hope this will stop at some point?! Besides that, I can't wait to head back to the pool and finish it this afternoon. I don't want to say too much more so I don't spoil anything for those who haven't read it yet!

Sending you all extra warm wishes,
xoxo
P.S. I like this book cover better than the one I have because it shows the little shed with the skylight...sooooo chilling...what a concept...

Crazy Book Blogger

So I came across this blog http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/

This girl has posted all the books she read in 2008, 2009 and 2010. She reads 3-400 books per year...thats 1+ books per day!!!!!!!!!!

The blog can be used to select books though, she has organized all of her posts so you can search by number of stars she gave the book.

I did a little digging and found what she rated all the books we have read or will be reading to get an idea if she has similar taste. The ones where I give the star rating she has a review if you are interested in getting a feel for how the book is going to pan out.

Secret Daughter 5/5

Little Bee no review

Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie 4/5

Escape 4.5/5

The Room 4.5/5

Three Cups of Tea-- no review

For Renee and Nat--Hunger Games 4.5/5

Now the only problem I see here is she gave Sweetness 4 stars, but if you read the review she says she found it very hard to get into and may not have finished it. We can see if we agree when we read the next 3 books.

Happy reading!

ninnnnn

Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie--Not so sweet!

Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie was definitly not a favourite among our book club members. Of those that were at Tara's only 1 had read the book...way to go Natalie!! You are a trooper! Since hardly anyone had read the book the conversation about it was minimal. Tara served stinky cheese in honour of a stinky book! As always the food and wine was delicious! Thanks Tara for a great evening.

We made a few executive decisions during book club. We decided that when we select out trio of books every 3 months that we would try and stick to a theme. The next theme is non-fiction. The 3 books we have lined up are:

Escape, Carolyn Jessop, January 11, Amy's house--Previously described on Nov. 5th.

The Room, Emma Donohue, February 8, TBD

To five-year-old Jack, Room is the entire world. It's where he was born and where he and his Ma eat and play and learn. At night, Ma puts him safely to sleep in the wardrobe, in case Old Nick comes. Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it's the prison where Old Nick has kept her for seven years, since she was nineteen. Through ingenuity and determination, Ma has created a life for herself and her son, but she knows it's not enough for either of them. Jack's curiosity is building alongside Ma's desperation -- and Room can't contain either of them for much longer...
Told entirely in the inventive, often funny voice of Jack, Room is a celebration of the resilient bond between parent and child, and a brilliantly executed novel about a journey from one world to another.

Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson, March 8, TBD

Three Cups of Tea is one of the most remarkable adventure stories of our time. Greg Mortenson’s dangerous and difficult quest to build schools in the wildest parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan is not only a thrilling read, it’s proof that one ordinary person, with the right combination of character and determination, really can change the world.” -Tom Brokaw

This was a reading guide I found on the website--there are likely spoilers (is it possible to have spoilers in non-fiction??????) so save it for later:

http://www.threecupsoftea.com/wp-includes/documents/3CTReadingGuide.pdf

Merry Christmas and hope to see you all over the holidays!

New record?

So there is one benefit to being home sick - I actually read two books yesterday! (Yup - 633 pages!) The type of books you need to read after "The Sweetness" too...I got through two of the L.A. Candy books - "L.A. Candy" and "Sweet Little Lies" - by reality TV star Lauren Conrad and have to admit that they're pretty addictive.

When I first started reading yesterday morning, I didn't think I would make it through the first book (let alone two). With an opening paragraph that reads, "Jane Roberts leaned against her dresser, studying the way her white silk nightie looked against her sun-kissed skin. Her loose blonde curls cascaded softly over her shoulders as she pretended not to be interested in the guy in her bed." I mean, come on, could you add any more cheesy adjectives to the sentences? Even for me, a proud cheese-lover, this was a little much, but it did turn out to be a cheesy dream that the narrator was having and she actually wakes up next to some guy who reeks of armpits and pot (her roommate's hook-up who couldn't find his way back to the roommate's room after using the washroom!!!)

Since I actually was a devoted "Hills" fan, it was fun to read about what production is like behind-the-scenes of these "reality" shows; however, I would recommend these books to anyone as a great escape from reality and maturity!

I'm just happy I ordered all three in the series together - I have one more to go! Don't worry, I'll keep you posted!

Sweet...or sour?

So I finally finished our latest read The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie just in time for our book club tomorrow and am disappointed to write how happy I was to put it down. It wasn't the writing or the characters (which I grew to enjoy)...I've just come to realize that it really just wasn't my type of story. I am not a huge fan of this type of slow mystery and therefore had a lot of trouble even getting into it (which I have learned was a problem with many of our BFabers)!

Flavia was certainly a unique character, but I found myself struggling to believe her age at times, and coupled with the fact that it was written in a foreign setting in a foreign time, there was just too much for this reader to keep in check to truly enjoy the development! It just moved too slowly for me and I didn't much care for the outcome by the time it ended. I would, however, suggest this as an interesting book for an English class in high school - Flavia is a strong young woman who is obsessed with the sciences (chemistry) and perseveres. Besides sabotaging her sisters, I think she makes for an interesting role-model for youths.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and hope that most of you did finish it (Tara, that's two strikes if you didn't!)

I wonder what delicious pies the hostess is making?!!

P.S. I love the red cover I found above because "Gladys" her beloved bicycle is featured and is a predominant part of her mystery-solving skills - how would she have gotten anywhere without it?!!

Top Ten Friends

Hello ladies,

I just found out that I have a kindred friend at work who also has a "Book Blog"... in fact, much more professional with daily updates and actual followers....but who's counting anyway?!! Her latest post on her blog "Feeling a Little Bookish" lists her Top Ten Characters that she would like to be friends with and is a super cute read (she even chose Flavia De Luce from our latest, and most fave book!) Check it out here AND I CHALLENGE YOU to make your own list to either post to us here or bring to our next BFAB on Tuesday.

Happy list-making!

xoxo

p.s. We all know that Nat B wishes she could be friends with the entire tribe of girls in Africa "Weh!" from Little Bee!!! hahaha

Hooray...Hunger Games Trailer

Ohhhh....I am so excited to take a little break from our club's latest choice of novel to bring you a trailer for the Hunger Games movie!!! Hooray - I know I got Nat B and Erinn to read the trilogy, but has anyone else in our group read them? They are quite the addictive little things, hard to put down once you start. Very easy to read too (being written for teens and all) I can't seem to find an actual trailer from the studio, but click here for some awesome fan-made ones that will leave you wanting more...

Looks like it's got Robert Downey Jr. cast, which is always a treat. Downside, I may have seen Hayden Panettiere in there too (hopefully whomever she plays doesn't survive the games!!...Too harsh?)

Amazing...so excited! A great way to end the week :) Enjoy B-Fabers xoxo

Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

So I have had major issues getting into this book. I'm hoping a little research and this blog post will motivate me!

I found out that this book was the Winner of the 2007 Crime Writers’ Association Debut Dagger Award. I also found this review:

The summer of 1950 hasn’t offered up anything out of the ordinary for eleven-year-old Flavia de Luce: bicycle explorations around the village, keeping tabs on her neighbours, relentless battles with her older sisters, Ophelia and Daphne, and brewing up poisonous concoctions while plotting revenge in their home’s abandoned Victorian chemistry lab, which Flavia has claimed for her own.

But then a series of mysterious events gets Flavia’s attention: A dead bird is found on the doormat, a postage stamp bizarrely pinned to its beak. A mysterious late-night visitor argues with her aloof father, Colonel de Luce, behind closed doors. And in the early morning Flavia finds a red-headed stranger lying in the cucumber patch and watches him take his dying breath. For Flavia, the summer begins in earnest when murder comes to Buckshaw: “I wish I could say I was afraid, but I wasn’t. Quite the contrary. This was by far the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life.”

Did the stranger die of poisoning? There was a piece missing from Mrs. Mullet’s custard pie, and none of the de Luces would have dared to eat the awful thing. Or could he have been killed by the family’s loyal handyman, Dogger… or by the Colonel himself! At that moment, Flavia commits herself to solving the crime — even if it means keeping information from the village police, in order to protect her family. But then her father confesses to the crime, for the same reason, and it’s up to Flavia to free him of suspicion. Only she has the ingenuity to follow the clues that reveal the victim’s identity, and a conspiracy that reaches back into the de Luces’ murky past.

A thoroughly entertaining romp of a novel, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie is inventive and quick-witted, with tongue-in-cheek humour that transcends the macabre seriousness of its subject.

this I am looking forward to our book club to see what other thought and also to see what books we select up for next year.

Remember to bring your ideas for new books for us to read.

See you next week!

Erinnnnnnnnn :)

Escape

So I just wanted to add some information about the book that I mentioned last book club, Escape by Carolyn Jessop. This is from the jacket:

"Seventeen years after being forced into a polygamous marriage, Jessop escaped from the cultlike Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints with her eight children. She recounts the horrid events that led her to break free from the oppressive world she knew and how she has managed to survive since escaping, despite threats and legal battles with her husband and the Church."

I don't know about you guys but there is something interesting about polygamy, kind of like a train wreck, you just can't look away! I have yet to read it but I am looking forward to it....how can someone 'escape' with 8 children???

Ninnnn

Re-cap and Dip Recipe

So nice to see your post Erinn - can't wait to hear your thoughts on Year of the Flood...I loved it too (when I got into it - it took a little while, but then I was hooked!)

Last night's BFAB was so fun and delicious! Consensus was that everyone loved it. Here are some major points for Nat D who missed out:

* The only time most liked or felt anything for Somer's character was at the beginning of the novel where she struggled to conceive and seemed to really want to be a mother.

* We felt the story fall a little flat in terms of the mother/daughter bond between Somer and Asha - she grows so fast in the story that you don't get the chance to feel a connection there.

* Everyone loved Dadima (but felt awful for Somer when she put a left-over hamburger in Dadima's strightly vegetarian fridge and caused her to throw out everything and want to toss her dishes as well).

* Lots of interesting cultural differences - We will never look at dull, western mashed potatoes the same again (but we'll still eat them!)

* Kavita and Jasu's son's name is pronounced VI-jay and not Vjay...and Somer went for a biopsy, not an autopsy!!! (We learn something new everyday)

* Not many liked Jasu, could not get over what he had done to their first-born daughter

So we are set to read our final selection for next months club called "The sweetness at the bottom of the pie."

We talked about perhaps doing some non-fiction in our next selections (Some ideas were: Infidel (a.k.a "hmmmmm") and another about a polygamist wife who escaped with her children...need the title on that one Erinn.

Thanks again to hostess Nat B who took it to a new level with her dishes and wine - and to Amy for her sweet apple dip!


Here's the Apple Caramel Dip Recipe that Amy made (I found courtesy of Ottawa blogger Janet: http://janetishungry.blogspot.com )

1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 container caramel (usually found in the produce section)
1 pkg skor bits
Granny Smith apples, sliced

1. Beat the cream cheese with brown sugar until smooth. Spread thinly onto large serving plate.

2. Heat the caramel slightly (about 15 second in microwave) to make spreadable. Spread on top of cream cheese.

3. Sprinkle the package of Skor bits all over the top. Serve with sliced Granny Smith apples for dipping.


Cheers, R-FAB xoxo

Defended!!

I am happy to report that I am essentially done my Master's and defended my research project today. So now that I have finished doing so much writing for my thesis I hope to be doing a LOT more reading!!

To keep sane I managed to get a few books read over the last month or so. They were 'Eating Animals" by Jonothan Saffran Foer and "The Year of the Flood" by Margaret Atwood. They are extremely different yet kind of similar, one is about the ethics around eating animals while the other is set in the future about a group of vegetarians known as the Gardeners. I hope to do a more complete review of each in the next few days.

Can't wait to see you guys tonight to hear what everyone thought about "Secret Daughter" I am on the LOVED IT team!!


Erinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
xoxo

Love her or hate her?

Well....I love her, but I know at least one of our little club members that can't stand her! So ignoring this friend, I am excited to write that I saw Lauren Conrad on Rachel Ray after work a couple weeks ago and have been meaning to write every since. She's got another book coming out called "Sugar & Spice" and was promoting her "Style" book as well. Has anyone in our club read any of her novels yet? (L.A. Candy or Sweet Little Lies)? I am ashamed and surprised that I haven't, but am ordering them online as I write this!!!

She's so cute and has amazing style (in my opinion of course - I'm excited to check out her line at Kohl's when I head to the States for Christmas. How cute is her little boyfriend blazer?)...But I really can't wait to hear back from those that disagree...I can take you on! hahaha

Night night,

xoxo

Questions to ponder...

Hello BFABers,

Looking forward to seeing everyone at Nat B's on Tuesday night. Can you believe it's been a month already? She said that she has some great, but long winded questions...so I thought I would post a few to get us thinking about the book (especially for those who read it months ago and need reminders of the story)!

There are so many great reflection/ discussion questions out there, but here are some of my favourites:

1. Kavita faces a difficult choice at the beginning of the novel. Did she make the right decision? What would you have done if you were in Kavita's place? What would the repercussions be of making a different choice?

2. Both families in the novel leave their home in search of better life --- the Merchants leave their village for Bombay, and Krishnan leaves India for America --- and this act of migration creates longing for home and feelings of displacement. Do you think their migrations were driven more by wanting to leave home or being attracted to a new place? Would the characters have made different choices if they knew what the consequences would be?

3. The novel explores the issue of how gender affects one's role in society, both in India and the United States. Despite much of the obvious discrimination women face in India, Sarla Thakkar believes, "you can't always see the power women hold, but it is there…" In what ways is this true? What are the benefits and drawbacks of being a woman in each of these countries? Are there any similarities in the female experience across the two cultures?

4. What do you believe Kavita and Jasu are feeling and thinking at the end of the novel? Were you surprised at the ending? Did you find it satisfying? How did your view of Jasu's character change from the beginning, and why? What do you imagine happens to these families next?

So as I was searching for questions, I came across this. If only we had been more organized, we could have had Shilpi Gowda chatting with us on Skype while holding our own autographed books!! How cool would that have been? Then, we would be forced to stay on topic for longer than 20 minutes!!!

See you on Tuesday,

xoxo

Welcome Erinn!

I figured it out...so now you lovely readers will get to hear from both of us! Erinn is now co-author extraordinaire. No pressure or anything Erinn, but we hope you entertain us regularly...hahaha! And you are very welcome for finding this gem of a picture from days long gone...oh the memories (Who's parents kitchen are we in here? And why are my arms the size of eggplants?!!!)

xoxo

New Blog Author!--TESTING 1-2-3

Thanks to Renee's wizardry with the blog I think she has enabled others to post as well. Just what I need to encourage procrastination!!

Oh baby!

So I'm supposed to be writing my student's progress reports right now...but what that really means is...do anything else!!! This is the time of year when the house ends up super tidy, clean and organized! So, to further my procrastination efforts, I thought I would share the names of my fave baby naming books since we now have a beautiful preggo in our BFAB club.

The first book "A is for Atticus" was introduced to me by Katie O (again...and yes she's got her Masters in English!) and this book is amazing because it contains baby name ideas from the great literature of our time: from Shakespeare to Lucy Maud Montgomery. So if you have a connection to a particular story or character, their details are in there, and there are so many great books that we forget that we have read that we are reminded of in reading this one. No, I'm not preggers too, I'm just obsessed with names I guess!

The second I happened to check out at Chapters because the title made me laugh. It's called "Beyond Ava and Aiden". Being a elementary school teacher, I really get a sense of what the name trends are and I have had an Ava, Ella, Abby, Isabel, Aiden, Jackson, Nathan and William in almost every class for the past 5 years!

I like sensible names, but getting out of the top twenty list is my recommendation! So, feel free to pass these titles on to your expecting girlfriends.

xoxo

Agree or disagree?

So we all survived our first novel and first official club - I think we did pretty well discussing and analyzing our pick for a good 40% of the time, wouldn't you say?!! There were some definite mixed opinions on our choice of "Little Bee," but many similar thoughts as well. Here's what I can recall from our club night at this point...(it had been a rough day and the bubbly went down real smooth!!!):

Unsure of:
- the way the author wrote in the voices of Little Bee's girlfriends from the refugee centre
- whether her situation was true to real life (being held in the centre for over two years with no sense of when you are to be freed)??
- many mixed feelings on the characters of Sarah, her husband Andrew and her son Charlie...are we supposed to like them, pity them, have any feelings towards them as a family?
- the viability of the part where Little Bee admits to having spent days/weeks in their back garden, frightening Andrew and being there when he hangs himself, able to help, but choosing not to

Consensus:
- we all loved whenever Little Bee spoke about her friends back home and how they would react when she described her new life: "Weh!?" (We all did pretty awesome "weh" imitations, if I recall correctly!)
- almost anything that Charlie said sounded annoying, not endearing!!!
- most preferred Little Bee as narrator over Sarah...her chapters seemed richer
- Almost everyone agreed on the probable outcome never mentioned at the end of the novel - the end of Little Bee after being taken from the beach by the police in Nigeria
- nobody liked the creepy other man in Sarah's life - yuck!
- as much as we dislike Sarah's character, most felt that they would not have been able to do what she did to save Little Bees life...my fingers hurt again just writing that

Anyways, I loved the first review on this site (Tell us what you really think lady?!!!): of course being the blogger of this site allows me the bias of looking for content that suits my opinions, so feel free to comment back ladies!

Nighty night xoxo

P.S. Did you know that that UK edition of the novel is called "The Other Hand"...thoughts?

A beautiful story

I finished our second novel "Secret Daughter" last night and was a little sad that it was over...can't you just imagine a second novel picking up where we left off? I don't want to spoil anything for the BFABers that haven't quite finished it yet, but it truly was a beautiful story, and one I couldn't put down, unlike "Little Bee."

I looooooved Asha/Usha and her Dadima...maybe I biased by the grandmother-granddaughter thing considering I just spent Thanksgiving weekend playing "Carotte" (basically French euchre) with my grandmaman as my teammate!!! hahaha I loved when Dadima agreed to wear Asha's running shoes on their morning walk instead of her chappals, but made sure that her sari covered them so that no one would notice. So cute!

Oh...I want to write so much more about it, but will hold back until the week preceeding our next club. Hint, hint: read read read ladies!

In the meantime, I'm switching between a non-fiction that Nat B loaned me called "The Omnivore's Dilemna" and a memoir that Katie O loaned me called "Summer at Tiffany." I'll keep you posted on these two as I get further along.

Where have I been?

I know how disappointed you all are since I returned to work and no longer keep this updated with anything and everything I read and find!!!

It's been one crazy busy month, but I hope to keep the posts coming more frequently now. I think I may even have found a way to get the other BFABers posting as well, so stay tuned.

Thanks for your patience,

xoxo

Questions for Reflection

Hello B-FABers - sorry for the hiatus...going back to work full-time means less time to post here (Waaaaaaa). So I have finished our first book and have very mixed feelings on it. I am really looking forward to our discussions next week.

I thought I would post some questions to reflect on before we meet, so have a look. They come from the author, Chris Cleave's web site - I chose the ones that I liked, so feel free to check out his site for more questions:

Little Bee tells the reader, “We must see all scars as beauty. Okay? This will be our secret. Because take it from me, a scar does not form on the dying. A scar means, I survived” (p. 9). Which characters in the story are left with physical scars? Emotional scars? Do they embrace them as beautiful? Do you have any scars you’ve come to embrace? Did you feel more connected to Little Bee as a narrator after this pact?How did it affect your reading experience to have two narrators? Did you trust one woman more than the other? Did you prefer the voice of one above the other?

Little Bee credits a small bottle of nail polish for “saving her life” while she was in the detention center (p. 7). Is there any object or act that helps you feel alive and beautiful, even when everything else seems to be falling apart?
Little Bee figures out the best way to kill herself in any given situation, just in case “the men come suddenly.” How do these plans help Little Bee reclaim some power? Were you disturbed by this, or were you able to find the humor in some of the scenarios she imagines?

When Little Bee finds that Andrew has hanged himself she thinks, “Of course I must save him, whatever it costs me, because he is a human being.” And then she thinks, “Of course I must save myself, because I am a human being too” (p. 194). How do the characters in the story decide when to put themselves first and when to offer charity? Is one human life ever more valuable than another? What if one of the lives in question is your own?

Ohhhhh, such good questions - If you can't resist commenting...then please do! I'll share what you wrote at our Club.

For Q & A with the author, click here.

Happy Reading!
xoxo

Little Bee

Ok, so I have to admit that I have finally started reading our book club selection this week...and at first, I was doubting our choice. Personally, I like to be drawn in from the very very beginning, but here I was thinking I wouldn't be able to handle reading a whole book written in the voice of Little Bee and the girls she lived with at the Immigration Removal Centre - it just kind of annoyed me I guess. And then the on-going Batman costume talk and all the teasers indicating that something sad happened, but that we would find out later (I mean, how many times do you need to write that?)!!!

Anyway, for some reason, I was just unable to put it down last night and am finally getting into it! I wasn't so sure about the love between Sarah and Andrew at first, then the romantic honeymoon story about not noticing the colour of the sea drew me in a little. I have a feeling that once we finally learn of the incident that occured on the beach, we may become more engaged with them as a couple.

I am also beginning to notice just how much depth there is to Little Bee, so much wisdom in her young mind. Me go to Queens U and me not so wise! I am not far enough into the novel to know just what the horror is yet (maybe we don't find out until the end since the author just loves teasing), but both women sound like incredible survivors.

I'm really looking forward to talking this one out with the ladies next month...

Here are some favourite quotes of mine, thus far:

"a scar does not form on the dying. A scar means, I survived." (9)

"No, not Jesus. Mummy." (29)

"...my Andrew, dead? It still seemed physically impossible. At one point he had covered more than seven tenths of the earth's surface." (39)

"when I say that I am a refugee, you must understand that there is no refuge." (46)

Let me know what yours are, without spoilers of course! Give me a few more days to finish!

Novel idea...

Just doing some late night Etsy browsing and came across these super cute confetti pieces. The hearts are cut from Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women" and the snowflakes are punched right out of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol"

Where do people come up with these ideas? I love it...so romantic! The seller will do custom orders and will use books that are dear to your heart, if requested.

I wonder if they have shirtless werewolf cutouts for Twilight??? hhhmmmmmm...

Pictures help!

BIG NEWS!!! Guess who I caught reading for the first time in 12 years...Rob! Seriously, he never reads (Maxim, Fishing Ontario and the Ikea Catalogue do not count!) So now, of course, I have to fill you in on what he had in his hands. The book is a Canadian History collection "The Museum called Canada: 25 Rooms of Wonder" by Charlotte Gray, dubbed as "the ultimate guide to Canada's rich material culture." What he loves about this book is that there are many different stories and facts accompanied by pictures and timelines - I am so excited for him. I feel so close to my ultimate fantasy...spending lazy afternoons ready TOGETHER!!! hahaha...ok ok, it's one book. But you know, it really only takes one to peek your interest. You all know I am heading to the history section of Chapters tomorrow!

Happy 9-02-10 Day!

FUN! Thanks Katie for the lovely wake-up text this morning reminding me to celebrate this once in a lifetime day. In honour of this special day, enjoy these pics of Donna & David's wedding and the most gorgeous prom dresses you've ever seen.

You can further enjoy the day by supporting the phenomenal books that have come out of the show:

*mommywood, unchartered terriTORI, or sTORItelling by Tori Spelling
*Badass by Shannen Doherty (avail Nov 2 only I believe)

Anyway, cherish your inner Kelly, Donna, Andrea, Brenda (or Valerie!) today.

xoxo

Long Weekend Fun...

Hey B-FABers...our last hoorah to summer is this weekend, so I hope you're all setting aside some time to have lazy afternoons reading and lazier evenings drinking!!! What I wouldn't give to have no plans and plunk myself in a hammock or adirondack chair....so nice. Instead, we'll be driving 9 hours to attend a wedding - what are the chances that Rob lets me read quietly in the car while he drives with one good arm?

In two weeks, I'll start posting some questions to get us thinking about our selection. I have to admit that I still haven't started "Little Bee," but am almost on the third and final Hunger Games book...damn! Why did I start this series? One of you out there better join me in this new addiction so that we can discuss!

Anyway, I fear searching for questions regarding our selected book in case they spoil it for me. So if I work hard enough, I'll finish the series this weekend and be ready to start L B next week.

Sending warm wishes for a safe journey to our ladies in Bali!

xoxo

Bright idea for bed

Don't get too excited ladies, it's not what you think! I was searching for (ohhhh, I want to say something cool here.....but I can't....) a...book light (there I said it) and came upon this article "Guiding Light." What a hilarious little writer he is! Anyway, someone is always complaining that my reading in bed is keeping him from sleeping - so in an effort to save my marriage, and keep up my favourite routine, I'm in need of a better light, or book light.

According to Mr. Bartlett, I should be ordering the Zelco "Itty Bitty" Slim Book Light (I found it on Amazon for $30). But please let me know if any of you have a good one out there before I go ahead with this purchase (I know I'm not alone wanting this gadget...right?)

Never leave home without one...

OMG! How have I been living without an iPhone before...now I definitely will be able to keep up with my blogs everywhere I go (lucky you!) Anyway, that's not what I'm writing about. I was just thinking how lucky it is that I am the biggest nerd of life and always have a book in my purse. I have been at the hospital all day (Rob attempted to saw his finger off at work today -ouch- so not funny at all) and while he's been sleeping, I've almost finished The Hunger Games. It really is as addictive as everyone online says...I can't put it down! There are so many comparisons going on in my mind between this one and Year of the Flood that has me a little concerned about our future - I'm sure I will finish it here waiting tonight and then better get started on our book club selection before it's back to work and reality for me.

Has anyone started Little Bee? Bee sure to keep a copy in your purse!!! Ha ha ha hospitals make me delirious!

Xoxo

And we're off!

Erinn and I agree that we had quite a successful first meeting last night and are super excited to get started on our first book. Thank you Erinn for the delicious food and wine (too bad it was a Monday!) I love seeing how everyone's personality was reflected in their lists (not just what was written, but the actual lists). Although I typed my list up with summaries of each selection, Erinn out-did me by further making copies of her typed list for everyone...amazing Erinn! Second place goes to Tara whose list came in the form of a huge pile of books (we knew when she left because we could all see each other over the coffee table again!) And, third place goes to Nat D, whose list included a book on economics? What did you do Nat, write your list as you wandered around Chapters?!!! Maybe you and Nat B can start your own math club? (Too harsh?)

Anyway, we all wrote three titles on paper and figured out which were repeated the most. From this list, we chose our first three books and we're all excited to start the month of September off reading "Little Bee" by Chris Cleave.

In October, we are reading "Secret Daughter" by Shilpi Somaya Gowda and in November, we are reading "The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie" by Alan Bradley.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS ladies, I'm hosting the next BFAB on Tuesday, October 5th (Little Bee), Nat B is hosting on Tuesday, November 2nd (Secret Daughter) and Tara is hosting on Tuesday, December 7th (Sweetness).

I'll send out some questions the week before our next BFAB Club. Please feel free to comment here throughout the month though, if you have anything that you would like to share...don't be shy!

Wishing Tara, Julie and Erinn a safe and super trip to Bali!

Happy Reading B-FABers,

xoxo

Hungry?

Ok...so upon further exploration, this "Hunger Games" book is no small item. Hahaha - I am totally laughing my ass off reading some postings out there. Here's my fave:
"THIS. IS. BOOK CRACK. The publishers need to tell us what the third book will be called and when we can get it. Now." I love book crack!

Apparently, it's being made into a movie too (of course)! And, here's the biggest shocker: the lead girl has to choose between two hunky boys. Who doesn't love having to pick a team, right? So I suggest you read it now before it's all you hear about! (From me...I mean...)

P.S. How many tees would you like me to order?

What celebs are reading...

I just got my latest Shape Magazine in the mail and am super excited that two of my favourite ladies are featured inside: Jennifer Aniston and Kristen Bell. Both happen to discuss books that they are currently into, so I thought I'd share it with you!

Apparently, Jennifer (we're now on a first name basis only) returns again and again to the same book to find solace. It's called "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz. I had never heard of this one, so I looked it up. Here's an excerpt from the authors website:

"Everything we do is based on agreements we have made - agreements with ourselves, with other people, with God, with life. But the most important agreements are the ones we make with ourselves. In these agreements we tell ourselves who we are, how to behave, what is possible, what is impossible. One single agreement is not such a problem, but we have many agreements that come from fear, deplete our energy, and diminish our self-worth."

I'm not much into reading self-help type books, but it certainly sounds interesting. Why am I not surprised, however, that Jennifer is into a book that offers a special code to help us experience "freedom, true happiness, and love." Has anyone read it? Let me know your thoughts.

Kristen's fave book right now is a more surprising one. She apparently couldn't put this book down and finished it in a day...it's called "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins and is a fictional story about a sixteen year old female gladiator. Sounds a little bizarre to me at first, but then again, so did the whole Twilight series! Mmmmm...Jacob....Anyway, click here to check out the author's crazy cool website and read more about the series. I may just have to pick this one up.

1 more sleep till book club!

xoxo

The 1st date's been set

Alright ladies...looks like we're meeting at Erinn's on Monday night at 7:30. So now's the time to get those lists in order - what have you been wanting to read, what have others suggested to you - don't be shy, you've seen how my taste in books can be questionable at times! Nothing will be off limits (mocked perhaps, but not disregarded)

Katie sends us this list from Hamilton: (Thanks KT O!)

1. Into the Wild: Jon Kraukauer

2. One Day: David Nicholls

3. Lolita: Nabokov

4. Cat's Eye: Margaret Atwood

5. *****The Happiness Project - SOOO GOOD!

By that last comment, I'm going to assume that she had read all of these. Note to Ottawa B-FABers, your lists have to be of books you've never read (or you're out!) Too harsh?

Can't wait to see what you're all in the mood for for our first month...especially since three of you will be reading in Bali while the rest of us closet read at work.

xoxo

What if???

I finally uploaded pictures from my camera and thought I better share this one as it goes down as one of my favourite days of the summer. Rob and I explored a provincial park we had never been to before (Voyageur Provincial Park) for the weekend and ended up with a site on the water. It was a rocky/pebbly bottom but just the right depth for us to stick our camping chairs (and side table...I know, sooo luxurious) right in. I spent hours in there reading and didn't even notice each time Rob left to fill up our drink cups!

So, what had me so engrossed...only that book I mentioned earlier - The Pretend Wife. Borrowed from my girlfriend in Hamilton, how could I not pick up a book that asks: "What would life be like with the one who got away?" What if, what if, what if? One of the most dangerous word combinations in our language I think. Anyway, it's not a must-read but was perfect for a camping weekend, and easy enough to put down for a game or two of cribbage!

Mmmmmm the word cribbage looks a lot like cabbage which is making me hungry...gotta go!

xoxo

What's your reading style?

Good evening B FABers!

I know it is ridiculously late for a Tuesday night, but I just came in from a fantastic night out with some old girlfriends and past colleagues of mine that I just don't get to see often enough...we were literally told that the restaurant was closing and we had to go home! I just don't know how it happened (NOT!), but at the fourth hour of our sit-in, the topic of conversation turned to books and what we have been reading lately and I couldn't believe just how many I have devoured since June: 8!! (Year of the Flood, Can you keep a secret?, Angels and Demons, My Sister's Keeper, Cum Laude, Digital Fortress, The Constant Princess and The Pretend Wife) - Can you really tell that I have the summer off or what? Anyway, we were having so much fun one-upping each other listing off our latest reads and discovered that everyone has read the same one in the past year (In this case it was A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini). I love the way that books can bring people together like this: it is fascinating to see which parts or characters stand out to one person versus another and what the story meant for them. How can one story illicit so many responses and such strong opinions or emotions? I love it!

To keep it enjoyable and interesting, my own reading style has always been heavy, light, heavy, light. I enjoy a little Sophie Kinsella or Maeve Binchy mixed in between my Wally Lamb and Margaret Atwood sandwich. I just finished The Pretend Wife last night and picked up The Constant Gardener this morning...so you can see that I am no literature snob and am willing to give almost everything a chance! What's your reading style? Do you gravitate towards a certain genre, author or story?

Let's talk more tomorrow - I am starting to ramble and could write until the sun comes up...must go to book...I mean bed...

Night night

Welcome B-FABers!

Hello ladies!

We're so excited to be starting this club: not only will it force us to get together at least once a month, but we'll be having discussions that we have been having anyways (in the wrong company, poor Rob) with our fellow book lovers (the right company) over wine (the best company!)

We'll get together in the next few weeks at Erinn's to make our first selection, so...start thinking of all those gems out there that you haven't yet devoured and bring your list. We will have a democratic vote and go from there.

"A book is like a piece of rope; it takes on meaning only in connection with the things it holds together." (Norman Cousins)...Looking so forward to unraveling many good books together.