Left Neglected by Lisa Genova

It's so awesome to get together once again!

Thank you to each of you that were able to make it and celebrate together.

In attendance at Joy's home:

Jamie Dugay

Cortney Nadig

Lauren Snow

AND Sarah Ohki

Jamie, Sarah, Joy, Lauren, Cortney

The Rent Collector by Camron Wright

It was a lovely evening!

We talked about The Rent Collector by Camron Wright.

In attendance:

Joy

Judy Lemmons (Joy's Mom)

Jamie

Cortney

Amalie

Kanoe

Some suggestions for the future, offered by:

Judy Lemmons - Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson - Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult - A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Amalie - The Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

Cortney - True Born by L. E. Sterling

We'll next meet on July 25th at Joy's house to talk about Left Neglected by Lisa Genova

Come what May!!

It's May 30, 2017 already! Thank you Cortney for hosting a lovely evening of fun and friendship.
In attendance: Cortney, Moana, Joy, Kanoe, Jamie and Keri

We have a summer lineup of books to read as well as selections for the remainder of 2017. Hooray!

June: The Rent Collector by Camron Wright  304 pages
Survival for Ki Lim and Sang Ly is a daily battle at Stung Meanchey, the largest municipal waste dump in all of Cambodia. They make their living scavenging recyclables from the trash. Life would be hard enough without the worry for their chronically ill child, Nisay, and the added expense of medicines that are not working. Just when things seem worst, Sang Ly learns a secret about the bad-tempered rent collector who comes demanding money--a secret that sets in motion a tide that will change the life of everyone it sweeps past. 

The Rent Collector is a story of hope, of one woman's journey to save her son and another woman's chance at redemption.

July: Left Neglected by Lisa Genova 324 pages
Sarah Nickerson is like any other career-driven supermom in Welmont, the affluent Boston suburb where she leads a hectic but charmed life with her husband Bob, faithful nanny, and three children - Lucy, Charlie, and nine-month-old Linus.

Between recruiting the best and brightest minds as the vice president of human resources at Berkley Consulting; shuttling the kids to soccer, day care, and piano lessons; convincing her son’s teacher that he may not, in fact, have ADD; and making it home in time for dinner, it’s a wonder this over-scheduled, over-achieving Harvard graduate has time to breathe.

A self-confessed balloon about to burst, Sarah miraculously manages every minute of her life like an air traffic controller. Until one fateful day, while driving to work and trying to make a phone call, she looks away from the road for one second too long. In the blink of an eye, all the rapidly moving parts of her jam-packed life come to a screeching halt.

A traumatic brain injury completely erases the left side of her world, and for once, Sarah relinquishes control to those around her, including her formerly absent mother. Without the ability to even floss her own teeth, she struggles to find answers about her past and her uncertain future.

Now, as she wills herself to regain her independence and heal, Sarah must learn that her real destiny - her new, true life - may in fact lie far from the world of conference calls and spreadsheets. And that a happiness and peace greater than all the success in the world is close within reach, if only she slows down long enough to notice.

August: My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares 324 pages
Daniel has spent centuries falling in love with the same girl. Life after life, crossing continents and dynasties, he and Sophia (despite her changing name and form) have been drawn together-and he remembers it all. Daniel has "the memory", the ability to recall past lives and recognize souls of those he's previously known. It is a gift and a curse. For all the times that he and Sophia have been drawn together throughout history, they have also been torn painfully, fatally, apart. A love always too short.

Interwoven through Sophia and Daniel's unfolding present day relationship are glimpses of their expansive history together. From 552 Asia Minor to 1918 England and 1972 Virginia, the two souls share a long and sometimes torturous path of seeking each other time and time again. But just when young Sophia (now "Lucy" in the present) finally begins to awaken to the secret of their shared past, to understand the true reason for the strength of their attraction, the mysterious force that has always torn them apart reappears. Ultimately, they must come to understand what stands in the way of their love if they are ever to spend a lifetime together.

A magical, suspenseful, heartbreaking story of true love, My Name is Memory proves the power and endurance of a union that was meant to be.

September: Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult 353 pages
Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book—one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah.
And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He’s a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He’s sure there’s more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom.
A romantic and charming story, this companion novel to Off the Page will make every reader believe in the fantastical power of fairy tales.


October: Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie 315 pages
Just after midnight, the famous Orient Express is stopped in its tracks by a snowdrift. By morning, the millionaire Samuel Edward Ratchett lies dead in his compartment, stabbed a dozen times, his door locked from the inside. One of his fellow passengers must be the murderer.

Isolated by the storm, detective Hercule Poirot must find the killer among a dozen of the dead man's enemies, before the murderer decides to strike again . . .

Movie Release 11/10/2017 staring Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfieffer Penelope Cruz


November: Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos 400 pages
Everyone has secrets. Some we keep to protect ourselves, others we keep to protect those we love.

A devoted city dweller, Cornelia Brown surprised no one more than herself when she was gripped by the sudden, inescapable desire to leave urban life behind and head for an idyllic suburb. Though she knows she and her beloved husband, Teo, have made the right move, she approaches her new life with trepidation and struggles to forge friendships in her new home. Cornelia's mettle is quickly tested by judgmental neighbor Piper Truitt. Perfectly manicured, impeccably dressed, and possessing impossible standards, Piper is the embodiment of everything Cornelia feared she would find in suburbia. A saving grace soon appears in the form of Lake. Over a shared love of literature and old movies, Cornelia develops an instant bond with this warm yet elusive woman who has also recently arrived in town, ostensibly to send her perceptive and brilliant son, Dev, to a school for the gifted.

Marisa de los Santos's literary talents shine in the complex interactions she creates between these three women. She deftly explores the life-altering roller coaster of emotions Piper faces as she cares for two households, her own and that of her cancer-stricken best friend, Elizabeth. Skillfully, de los Santos creates an enigmatic and beguiling character in Lake, who draws Cornelia closer even as she harbors a shocking secret. And from the first page until the exhilarating conclusion, de los Santos engages readers with Cornelia, who, while trying to adapt to her new surroundings, must remain true to herself. As their individual stories unfold, the women become entangled in a web of trust, betrayal, love, and loss that challenges them in ways they never imagined, and that ultimately teaches them what it means for one human being to belong to another.


December: The Misteltoe Inn by Richard Paul Evans 300 pages

At thirty-two Kimberly Rossetti, a finance officer at a Lexus car dealership, has had her heart broken more times than she wants to remember. With two failed engagements, a divorce and again alone with no prospects, she hardly seems the type to dream of being a published romance author. Dreading another holiday alone, she signs up for The Mistletoe Retreat, a nine-day writing retreat in Savannah, Georgia. Deep inside Kimberly knows she's at a junction in her life and it's time to either fulfill her dream or let it go. The other reason she decides to attend the conference is because famed romance writer, H.T. Cowell, once the best selling romance writer in America, and the author whose books instilled in her the desire to be a writer, will be speaking in public for the first time in more than a decade.

In one of her breakout sessions Kimberly meets another aspiring writer, and one of the few men at the conference, Zeke, an intelligent man with a wry wit who seems as interested in Kimberly as he is in the retreat. As Kimberly begins to open up to him about her stories and dreams, she inadvertently reveals her own troubled past. As Zeke helps her to discover why her books fail to live up to their potential she begins to wonder if he's really talking more about her life than her literature. But as she grows closer to him, she realizes that Zeke has his own darkness, a past he's unwilling to talk about.

The theme of The Mistletoe Inn is that like literature, relationships must be lived with passion and vulnerability to succeed.

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

This month's book club pick was the classic children's book Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery.
Some members of the book club were reading this book for the first time, some had read it many times and some compared it to the movie adaptations.

In attendance:
Joy
Cortney
Jamie
Lauren (don't call her Carrots *wink*wink*)


First published in 1908, Anne of Green Gables is a timeless story of hope, desire for family and a place in this world.

A few of  so many favorite quotes....

I've made up my mind to enjoy this drive. It's been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will. Of course, you must make it up FIRMLY.

 Oh, I know I'm a great trial to you, Marilla," said Anne repentantly. "I make so many mistakes. But then just think of all the mistakes I don't make, although I might.

 Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.

Friends, do you have any favorite quotes to add? 

The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer

Happy 2017 Book Clubbers!
This month's book is The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer.

In attendance at Joy's home:
Jamie
Cortney
Lauren
Joy

The Chemist had all the elements of a great book. I liked the action parts, the over all spy element drew me into the story. The characters remaining off-grid and undercover was intriguing. However, there were mixed reviews at our book club meeting. Those reviews reminded me I do have stars in my eyes when it comes to Stephenie Meyer. She's just amazing. So I remain a fan and forgiving of her writing quirks.  ~Joy

some book club suggestions:

Cortney - May the Road Rise Up to Meet You by Peter Troy - Belong to Me by Maria de los Santos *see November 2017 book club pick

Lauren - Anne of Green Gables by M. L. Montgomery *see our  March 2017 book club pick

TV series suggestions *Netflix and Chill*
 Grantchester - Victoria - Pure Genius - Timeless - Bull

The Mistletoe Promise by Richard Paul Evans

Thank you for hosting in your festive home Cortney!

In attendance:

Cortney, Jamie, Lille, Lauren, Joy, and welcome Maria Nakata

Our fabulous December book with a sweet Christmas theme was written by Richard Paul Evans. Hallmark Channel has a movie made from this book. However, while the movie was entertaining there were a few deviations from the book that made the movie comparably less fantastic.

Richard Paul Evans has a way of making 300 pages fly by. The Mistletoe Promise has this effect as well. Perfect.

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

Book Club at Joy's House

In attendance:

Joy, Cortney, Lauren, Jamie


This series by Maria V. Snyder totally rocks.

The first book begins with Poison Study then on to Magic Study and completing with Fire Study.

Highly recommended adventure!

yes! bring on the snacks!

Happy Halloween, Here Comes Thanksgiving, and Get Ready for Christmas!

Our October Book Club took place at Joy's home.
In Attendance:
Lauren, Cortney, Jamie, Moana and Joy
This month we talked about two books. Our September book was Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry and our October book was I Am Not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells. Both books had great synopsises unfortunately the stories fell a little flat at the twists and turns.

candy corn, cookies, cream cheese & pepper jelly on pita chips,
pumpkin cake & cream cheese frosting, sparkling raspberry punch and
affectionately titled 'Butt Bars' sooooo delicious! see below for recipe

Book Suggestions mentioned tonight:
Graceling by Kristin Cashore (Adventure and strong female lead character)
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder - *see below (must read the whole Study Series!)
The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley (The ebook cover is beautiful)

Recipe for Butt Bars (Mom's Double-Delicious Halloween Bars) Thank you Lauren!

1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. grahm cracker crumbs
1 can (14oz) sweetened con. milk
1 (12oz) pkg chocolate chips
1 c. peanut butter and/or butterscotch chips

1. Preheat to 350 degrees
2. melt butter in 9x13 baking dish
3. sprinkle crumbs over butter
4. pour sweetened con. milk over crumbs
5. top with chips, press down firmly
6. bake 25-30 min or until lightly browned
7. cool, then cut into bars

Our Books for November and December 2016:
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
Tuesday, November 29th,7pm location TBD

The Mistletoe Promise by Richard Paul Evans
Annual Cookie Exchange
Tuesday, December 20th, 7pm Cortney's Home

The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker

Happy 13th Anniversary to all our Book Club Members Past and Present!
Our June and July Book was The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker suggested by Cortney

In attendance at Joy's home:
Jamie, Cortney, Lauren, Kat and Joy

The discussion questions we followed for The Art of Hearing Heartbeats:

1. In your opinion, what does the back-and-forth between Julia’s and U Ba’s narratives add to the telling of the love story between Tin Win and Mi Mi? How do these stories interrelate? 

2. Tin Win is born to parents who abandon him as a child but Mi Mi is born into a close-knit family. Mi Mi’s mother, especially, adores her daughter. Do you see this developmental difference reflected in the adult each one becomes, or in the way the two relate to one another?
3. After he loses his sight, Tin Win spends several years in a monastery under the tutelage of the abbot, U May. In your opinion, what does U May model for Tin Win? How does Tin Win grow in these years?
4. Tin Win’s wealthy uncle, U Saw, finances Tin Win’s eye operation and subsequent education abroad. But to U Saw’s discredit, his motives are self-interested, and for his own convenience, he obstructs all communication between Tin Win and Mi Mi. Is U Saw portrayed as a villain—or is he even villainous?
5. A portion of the novel is in the form of letters. Does this change the mood or the flow of the novel? The way you see the characters?
6. Tin Win and Mi Mi develop an intense, literally symbiotic relationship: he walks for her; she acts as his eyes. They become inseparable, but then they are separated for decades. Given what you know about each character, how do you think they are able to withstand the time apart?
7. Discuss the role of memory in the novel, both individual and collective.
8. Burma (now known as Myanmar) was occupied by the British from the nineteenth century until 1948. How important is this colonial history to the major events of the novel?

There were a few more discussion questions but we felt The Art of Hearing Heartbeats was sufficiently discussed out.

Next fun topics of conversation went in three directions: FOOD, MUSICALS and BOOKS

FOOD Establishment recommendations:

Cortney suggested Big Kahunas by the airport to try the BBQ pizza and the club sandwich
Big City Diner multiple locations, Joy's favorite: Paniolo Chicken Salad
Jamie mentioned Mexico in Kalihi 
We all want to try Coquitos in Waianae for Puerto Rican, Colombian & Caribbean selections
Lauren felt North Shore Tacos are the closest to Cafe Rio on the island
Then Cortney mentioned Hughley's for southern food. That place is high on my to-go list.
Queen Street Cafe & Grill has awesome firecracker Chicken. yes, please.
Dixie Grill got some not so great reviews from our bookclubbers.
And one of our favorite group places to eat is Cattle Company and their hot fudge cake. We've had too many farewells at Cattle Company though.

MUSICALS:

Cortney has an affinity for Musicals! How awesome is she?! So I picked her brain. Some favorites she mentioned: Singing in the Rain, The King & I, White Christmas, that one she watches every year. Then we found out Cortney's favorite Christmas CD is Martina McBride.

Kat mentioned the musical Urinetown of which we thought was You're In Town ....nope. Urinetown. hahaha

The Paet family favorite Musical is Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Bless Your Beautiful Hide! And I like Chicago, too. We all LOVE The Sound of Music. I'm surprised none of us mentioned Grease, however!

BOOKS:

Our August Books for the month will be the Stung series by Bethany Wiggins. 

Book ONE: Stung

Book TWO: Cured

This series is Moana's suggestion and Cortney and I read them. They are super quick reads and both very good.

Each book is approximately 300 pages. So we will all need to get crackin'!

Also mentioned for possible future reads:

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline, 278 pages

Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum, 497 pages

The Secret Keeper (478 pages) and The Lake House (593 pages) both by Kate Morton

And Finally, Pebble Ice or Nugget Ice is to be found at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf or in a pinch at Sam's Club in their cafe. Aloha!!

The Land Uncharted by Keely Brooke Keith

The Land Uncharted by Keely Brook Keith

Lydia Colburn is a young physician dedicated to serving her village in the Land, an undetectable island in the South Atlantic Ocean. When Lt. Connor Bradshaw’s parachute carries him from the world war to Lydia's hidden land, his mission could expose her simple society. As Connor searches for a way to return to his squadron, his fascination with life in the Land makes him protective of Lydia and her peaceful homeland, and Lydia’s attraction to Connor stirs desires she never anticipated. But will they be able to keep the Land hidden?(goodreads.com)

In attendance: Joy, Jamie, Cortney, Moana, Amalie and welcome to Lauren Snow!

We got together at Joy's home. This book was available for download online and not at the Hawaii Public Library. Those who chose to read it found it on Amazon or using their Kindle store.

Usually we like to find a book with a reader's guide or discussion questions. There were none available online so this time we tried our best to make our own questions. Here's a sample from our discussion:

• The author suggests that "The Land Uncharted" was an "unusual mix of science fiction, historical fiction, and romance." Do you feel this is a good description? What would you change or add to the description?
• Connor Bradshaw became the first person to arrive to "The Land" since the colonists' arrival. What did he do -or- what actions did he take to become accepted by the Colburn family and the community?
• "The Land Uncharted" is a place where seemingly time has stopped. Modern conveniences haven't been invented. What would it be like to have the knowledge of modern conveniences and no longer have them? Would you try to possibly improve the lives of those around you or make the most of what is offered from the time of mid-1850s America?
• "The Land Uncharted" may have had a satisfying ending for some. There are sequels. Would you read a continuation of this book? What direction would you like the story to take? Who should the next book be about?

Then everyone was asked to rate the book based on a stand alone novel and not part of a series. The ratings were varied. We all thought this was the bones for a really great story.  (***possible spoiler***) And we all wanted more conflict and resolution with the outside world. No closure or resolution came for Connor, (or his bewildered co-pilot) or with all he could be reunited with in the modern age.(***end of spoiler***)

Because of the book's main focus being the ins-and-outs of this new unheard of community, it was aptly titled: The Land Uncharted.
Here's a link to carry forward to book 2: Uncharted Redemption

The book for next month, May 24th Book Club:
Ready Player One by Earnest Cline suggested by Amalei.

In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the  OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. When Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win—and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape(goodreads.com).

 
Our June Book is The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker suggested by Cortney

 A poignant and inspirational love story set in Burma, The Art of Hearing Heartbeats spans the decades between the 1950s and the present.  When a successful New York lawyer suddenly disappears without a trace, neither his wife nor his daughter Julia has any idea where he might be…until they find a love letter he wrote many years ago, to a Burmese woman they have never heard of. Intent on solving the mystery and coming to terms with her father’s past, Julia decides to travel to the village where the woman lived. There she uncovers a tale of unimaginable hardship, resilience, and passion that will reaffirm the reader’s belief in the power of love to move mountains(goodreads.com).

Other books we talked about tonight:
Kat mentioned The Last Girl by Joe Hart  and A Miracle of Hope by Ruth Reid
Moana mentioned Stung by Bethany Wiggins
Joy mentioned Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Lauren mentioned her favorite classic authors are Jane Austin, and the Bronte Sisters. She also recommended The Secret Life of Bees and The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd

Celebrating 12 Awesome Years of Reading!

Blackmoore by Julianna Donaldson

We really enjoy this author. Julianna Donaldson really knows how to write a proper, clean, fantastic romance. Blackmoore by Julianna Donaldson was genuine entertainment. Our book club group had a great time discussing the story and grateful for the reader's guide at the back off the book.

In attendance, Jamie, Cortney, Joy and welcome to Kat Johnston and Cloe.

March Book Club pick:

 Heir Apparent by Vivian Vande Velde