Dangerous by Shannon Hale

Our book club pick for June: Dangerous by Shannon Hale  
Maisie Danger Brown just wanted to get away from home for a bit, see something new. She never intended to fall in love. And she never imagined stumbling into a frightening plot that kills her friends and just might kill her, too. A plot that is already changing life on Earth as we know it. There's no going back. She is the only thing standing between danger and annihilation.

From NY Times bestselling author Shannon Hale comes a novel that asks, How far would you go to save the ones you love? And how far would you go to save everyone else?
  
Reunited with Sarah Ohki visiting from Las Vegas and Joy's Mom Judy Lemmons visiting from Virginia. Also in attendance, Joy, Keri, Cortney, Jamie and Amalie.

June's book club was at Joy's House. We talked about a few TV shows produced by BBC and available on Netflix, Forsyte, Warehouse 13 and Call the Midwife.

In my notes I wrote, "Yummy Food." This happens often.

Summer Book Picks 2014

Congratulations to all the Moms and book clubbers of High School Graduates and Seminary Graduates this year!
May was a month of milestones for many families. In addition, the book club has organized our book club selections for the next few months. We are going to revisit some of our favorite authors!

Our book club pick for June: Dangerous by Shannon Hale  
Maisie Danger Brown just wanted to get away from home for a bit, see something new. She never intended to fall in love. And she never imagined stumbling into a frightening plot that kills her friends and just might kill her, too. A plot that is already changing life on Earth as we know it. There's no going back. She is the only thing standing between danger and annihilation.

From NY Times bestselling author Shannon Hale comes a novel that asks, How far would you go to save the ones you love? And how far would you go to save everyone else?

Book Selection for July:
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
California's gold country, 1850. A time when men sold their souls for a bag of gold and women sold their bodies for a place to sleep.

Angel expects nothing from men but betrayal. Sold into prostitution as a child she survives by keeping her hatred alive. And what she hates most are the men who use her, leaving her empty and dead inside.

Then she meets Michael Hosea. A man who seeks his Father's heart in everything, Michael obeys God's call to marry Angel and to love her unconditionally. Slowly, day by day, he defies Angel's every bitter expectation, until despite her resistance, her frozen heart begins to thaw.

But with her unexpected softening come overwhelming feelings of unworthiness and fear. And so Angel runs. Back to the darkness, away from her husband's pursuing love, terrified of the truth she no longer can deny: Her final healing must come from the One who loves her even more than Michael does ... the One who will never let her go.

Our August selection:

Inferno by Dan Brown
 In his international blockbusters The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, and The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown masterfully fused history, art, codes, and symbols. In this riveting new thriller, Brown returns to his element and has crafted his highest-stakes novel to date.

In the heart of Italy, Harvard professor of symbology Robert Langdon is drawn into a harrowing world centered on one of history’s most enduring and mysterious literary masterpieces . . . Dante’s Inferno.

Against this backdrop, Langdon battles a chilling adversary and grapples with an ingenious riddle that pulls him into a landscape of classic art, secret passageways, and futuristic science. Drawing from Dante’s dark epic poem, Langdon races to find answers and decide whom to trust . . . before the world is irrevocably altered.

Our September Selection:
 The Maze Runner by James Dashner​
​
"If you ain't scared, you ain't human."

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He's surrounded by strangers--boys whose memories are also gone.

Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It's the only way out--and no one's ever made it through alive.

Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying​.

​

This book adaptation was shown prior to seeing Divergent in March. The Maze Runner is set for release September 19, 2014.

There you have it! Happy Reading!

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Thank you Monica for hosting at your home and suggesting this month's book club pick.
The Giver by Lois Lowry

In Attendance: Monica, Joy, Cortney and Kristin

Up Next: Planning Meeting for book suggestions and what to read over the Summer of 2014

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Thank you Monica for hosting at your home and suggesting this month's book club pick.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

In Attendance: Monica, Joy, Cortney and Kristin

Up Next: Planning Meeting for book suggestions and what to read over the Summer of 2014

April email invitation to April's book club at Monica's home:
Aloha Y'all!

It was nice to see everyone that made it out to Book Club in March.
Thank you Cortney for hosting. Also, it was fun to see those that made it to see Divergent in the theater.

As it so happens, one of the movie previews before Divergent was The Giver.
This is also our book selection for April, The Giver by Lois Lowry.

179 pages, published in 1993
Jonas' world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community. When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.

​The Giver is available at the Kapolei Public Library: to request the book ​

​click on the link to the Hawaii State Library web site, enter your library card number and pin(pin is the last four digits of the phone# you used to enroll)​

​Also, for you ebook lovers The Giver is available on Amazon.com for $4.99​

​ or googleplay for $4.99 or Nook for $5.99 ​

​Book Club for April will be at Monica McBride's home,

 Tuesday, April 22 at 7 PM.

Thank you Monica for hosting this month.

Everyone, you are welcome to bring a snack to share.
Looking forward to our discussion and chatting it up with everyone! ​

​Also, from our March discussion,  on deck to read The Maze Runner by James Dashner​

​

​ :
​

"If you ain't scared, you ain't human."

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He's surrounded by strangers--boys whose memories are also gone.

Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It's the only way out--and no one's ever made it through alive.

Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying

​.
​

This book was also in a movie preview prior to Divergent. The Maze Runner is set for release September 19, 2014.

UnEnchanted by Chanda Hahn

It was nice to see everyone that made it out to Book Club.
Thank you Cortney for hosting.

In Attendance:
Cortney, Joy, Jamie, Krystal, Maggie

We had a fun time talking about this enchanted book UnEnchanted by Chanda Hahn:
 
Mina Grime is unlucky, unpopular and uncoordinated; that is until she saves her crush's life on a field trip, changing her High School status from loser to hero overnight. But with her new found fame brings misfortune in the form of an old family curse come to light. For Mina is a descendant from the Brothers Grimm and has inherited all of their unfinished fairy tale business which includes trying to outwit a powerful Story from making her its' next fairy-tale victim.
To break the fairy tale curse on her family and make these deadly occurrences stop, Mina must finish the tales until the very Grimm end.


Currently, UnEnchanted by Chanda Hahn is available for free download at Amazon.com

 Also, it was fun to see those that made it to see Divergent in the theater on March 22nd. Following the movie some of us were able to make it to lunch at PhoOne across the street.

Moana, Kanoe&Moroni, Jamie, Joy, Krystal, Cortney, Ashley, Virginia

As it so happens, one of the movie previews before Divergent was The Giver.
This is also our book selection for April, The Giver by Lois Lowry.

179 pages, published in 1993
Jonas' world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear or pain. There are no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the Community. When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.

​The Giver is available at the Kapolei Public Library: to request the book ​

​click on the link to the Hawaii State Library web site, enter your library card number and pin(pin is the last four digits of the phone# you used to enroll)​

​Also, for you ebook lovers The Giver is available on Amazon.com for $4.99​

​ or googleplay for $4.99 or Nook for $5.99 ​

​Book Club for April will be at Monica McBride's home,

 Tuesday, April 22 at 7 PM.

​Also, from our March discussion, book selections on deck to read:
Inferno by Dan Brown
 In his international blockbusters The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, and The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown masterfully fused history, art, codes, and symbols. In this riveting new thriller, Brown returns to his element and has crafted his highest-stakes novel to date.

In the heart of Italy, Harvard professor of symbology Robert Langdon is drawn into a harrowing world centered on one of history’s most enduring and mysterious literary masterpieces . . . Dante’s Inferno.

Against this backdrop, Langdon battles a chilling adversary and grapples with an ingenious riddle that pulls him into a landscape of classic art, secret passageways, and futuristic science. Drawing from Dante’s dark epic poem, Langdon races to find answers and decide whom to trust . . . before the world is irrevocably altered.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner​

​
"If you ain't scared, you ain't human."

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He's surrounded by strangers--boys whose memories are also gone.

Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It's the only way out--and no one's ever made it through alive.

Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying​.

​

This book was also in a movie preview prior to Divergent. The Maze Runner is set for release September 19, 2014.

The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck

February's Book Palehua Book Club was held at Joy's Home
In attendance:
Joy, Cortney, Maggie and Amalie

We talked about The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck. It was a very nice story that involved four women and a beautiful wedding dress.









The book we chose for March is a fantasy of fairy tale proportions.
UnEnchanted by Chanda Hahn.
 
Mina Grime is unlucky, unpopular and uncoordinated; that is until she saves her crush's life on a field trip, changing her High School status from loser to hero overnight. But with her new found fame brings misfortune in the form of an old family curse come to light. For Mina is a descendant from the Brothers Grimm and has inherited all of their unfinished fairy tale business which includes trying to outwit a powerful Story from making her its' next fairy-tale victim.
To break the fairy tale curse on her family and make these deadly occurrences stop, Mina must finish the tales until the very Grimm end.


Currently, UnEnchanted by Chanda Hahn is available for free download at Amazon.com

Don't Go by Lisa Scottoline

Thank you Monica for hosting this month's book club.
We had great attendance!
Monica, Christine, Joy, Cortney brought Kirstin (Welcome! Kristin brought her homemade authentic German pretzels), Krystal, Alofa, Moana and Maggie

Don't Go by Lisa Scottoline:

Promise Me by Richard Paul Evans

It was such a fun Christmas Book Club. We had a really great turnout and lots of cookies for our Christmas Cookie Exchange.

Our book for the month was Promise Me by Richard Paul Evans
This story brought up great opportunity for discussion.

Attendance was really great with three new to the group:
Kainui Nihipali, Alofa Faamausili, and Kamailie Heide (wow, that was a lot of vowels, ha!)
Welcome Welcome!
Also in attendance:
Joy, Cortney, Jamie, Keri, Krystal, Alana, Amalie, Monica and her fun Mother-in-Law Carrie.

In addition to a cookie exchange....
We also collectively congratulate Alana Yates on her upcoming baby due next month.
Our January Book Club pick is Don't Go by Lisa Scottoline:

A suggestion for February: The Rent Collector by Camron Wright

Austenland by Shannon Hale

Aloha Everyone!! It's a new month! The Book Club meeting time and date are still in the works however, this is our August Book Club Book:
Austenland by Shannon Hale.


It is a very cute book and at 209 pages, a quick read. Perfect for light, fluffy, summer reading.

from the PROLOGUE:
    It is a truth universally acknowledged that a thirty-something woman in possession of a satisfying career and fabulous hairdo must be in want of very little, and Jane Hayes, pretty enough, was certainly thought to have little to distress her.


There are minimum copies available at the Hawaii State Public Library. (Maybe 3 copies)
I also have a paperback of Austenland I'm willing to loan, but it's still on it's way in the mail.

For ebook purchase:
available on Kindle for $8.57
available on NOOK for $9.99
available to listen iTunes for $12.99

Austenland has been made into a movie! We are awaiting the release date for Oahu. And then we'll plan to attend the Movie Matinee!
-- LA and New York release date is August 16. Please, let me know if you hear any updates.

Heads up for September. Our Book of the Month is The Sweetest Spell by Suzanne Selfors
There are currently 6 copies available at the Hawaii State Library
also available:
kindle: $6.15
NOOK: $6.99

Book Jacket Summary:
Emmeline Thistle, a dirt-scratcher's daughter, has escaped death twice-first, on the night she was born, and second, on the day her entire village was swept away by flood. Left with nothing and no one, Emmeline discovers her rare and mysterious ability-she can churn milk into chocolate, a delicacy more precious than gold.

Suddenly, the most unwanted girl in Anglund finds herself desired by all. But Emmeline only wants one-Owen Oak, a dairyman's son, whose slow smiles and lingering glances once tempted her to believe she might someday be loved for herself. But others will stop at nothing to use her gift for their own gains-no matter what the cost to Emmeline.

Magic and romance entwine in this fantastical world where true love and chocolate conquer all.


I love that last line!!
Aloha and happy reading!

AnguiSH by Lila Felix 7/24/2013

This was my July book club pick and I'm grateful to Cortney for hosting and for reading the book! Her sister Kelly, too! And glad you were able to make it Krystal. This was a funny discussion. There were many quirky quotes and cheesy lines. Angish was an underlying sweet story with a lovely happily-ever-after.

Now for the future we have a game plan! There are a couple of fun books and a movie involved!

 For August we will be reading Austenland by Shannon Hale

from goodreads.com:
Jane Hayes is a seemingly normal young New Yorker, but she has a secret. Her obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, is ruining her love life: no real man can compare. But when a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-crazed women, Jane's fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become realer than she ever could have imagined.

Decked out in empire-waist gowns, Jane struggles to master Regency etiquette and flirts with gardeners and gentlemen;or maybe even, she suspects, with the actors who are playing them. It's all a game, Jane knows. And yet the longer she stays, the more her insecurities seem to fall away, and the more she wonders: Is she about to kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?
 

From Shannon Hale's Blog:
This book was made into a movie! This super cute movie comes out either on the NY/LA release date of August 16th or wide release on September 27, 2013. And we as a book club are attending! Stay tuned for further information

For the month of September our Book Club pick is The Sweetest Spell by Suzanne Selfors

from goodreads.com
Emmeline Thistle, a dirt-scratcher's daughter, has escaped death twice-first, on the night she was born, and second, on the day her entire village was swept away by flood. Left with nothing and no one, Emmeline discovers her rare and mysterious ability-she can churn milk into chocolate, a delicacy more precious than gold.

Suddenly, the most unwanted girl in Anglund finds herself desired by all. But Emmeline only wants one-Owen Oak, a dairyman's son, whose slow smiles and lingering glances once tempted her to believe she might someday be loved for herself. But others will stop at nothing to use her gift for their own gains-no matter what the cost to Emmeline.

Magic and romance entwine in this fantastical world where true love and chocolate conquer all.

The Little Giant of Aberdeen County 6/26/2013 ***10th Anniversary***

Our June Book for the month:
The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker



We had a fun time at Joy's house. Oh the treats were so yummy!
Thank you to all that attended:
DeAnna Dotson, Ashley Mafi, Kanoe Aken, Jamie Dugay, Cortney Nadig, Krystal Ava, Lethena Lott and Joy Paet

We celebrated our 10th Anniversary a month early.
I love this picture:

10 Years of Book Club

The book for next month is AnguiSH by Lila Felix

AnguiSH by Lila Felix is available on Kindle or Nook format for $3.99.
Unfortunately, it isn't yet available at the Hawaii State Public Library.

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman 5/29/2013

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
 
This book was fraught with moral dilemmas. We went rounds of  "what would you do?" And in each scenario realized there were good merits in each decision. Which only validates The Light Between Oceans as on of our more fascinating Book Club Picks. Thanks Cortney! And thank you for Hosting our meeting in your home.

In attendance: Cortney, Joy, Ashley, Jamie and welcome to Lathena!

June we will be reading:
The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker