Monday, May 21, 2012

Brenda's Picks


When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.

 Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.
Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.








First, I'll tell about the robbery our parents committed. Then about the murders, which happened later."

When Fifteen-year-old Dell Parsons' parents rob a bank, his sense of normal life is forever altered. In an instant, this private cataclysm drives his life into before and after, a threshold that can never be uncrossed.

A true masterwork of haunting and spectacular vision from one of our greatest writers, Canada is a profound novel of boundaries traversed, innocence lost and reconciled, and the mysterious and consoling bonds of family. Told in spare, elegant prose, both resonant and luminous, it is destined to become a classic



Thursday, May 17, 2012

My Nominations

The Kitchen House


When a white servant girl violates the order of plantation society, she unleashes a tragedy that exposes the worst and best in the people she has come to call her family. 



The Night Circus


Erin Morgenstern’s dark, enchanting debut takes us to the black and white tents of Le Cirque des Reves, a circus that arrives without warning, simply appearing when yesterday it was not there. Young Celia and Marco have been cast into a rivalry at The Night Circus, one arranged long ago by powers they do not fully understand. Over time, their lives become more intricately enmeshed in a dance of love, joy, deceit, heartbreak, and magic. 




Rules of Civility




Set in New York City in 1938, Rules of Civility tells the story of a watershed year in the life of an uncompromising twenty-five-year- old named Katey Kontent. Armed with little more than a formidable intellect, a bracing wit, and her own brand of cool nerve, Katey embarks on a journey from a Wall Street secretarial pool through the upper echelons of New York society in search of a brighter future.

The story opens on New Year's Eve in a Greenwich Village jazz bar, where Katey and her boardinghouse roommate Eve happen to meet Tinker Grey, a handsome banker with royal blue eyes and a ready smile. This chance encounter and its startling consequences cast Katey off her current course, but end up providing her unexpected access to the rarified offices of Conde Nast and a glittering new social circle.

Nominations

Kristie's Nomination:

Set during one of the most conflicted and volatile times in American history, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is an extraordinary story of commitment and enduring hope. In Henry and Keiko, Jamie Ford has created an unforgettable duo whose story teaches us of the power of forgiveness and the human heart.




Britney's Nomination:


On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood.  Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared.  It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane’s bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard.  So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

It's time to vote!



It's that time again!

At book club next month we will vote on what to read next-- so post your choices or email me and I'll post them for you.

I can't wait to see what will be on my summer reading list!

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

We enjoyed another night of book Club!

Here are the pictures from our night.  First here is the gang...

Heidi,
Shauna, Behtany, Mariana, Kara
Kristie & Britney
 We enjoyed good food and had a great discussion about The Glass Castle.  Everyone really liked the book and we shared a lot thoughts about the wacky family and how some people see to thrive regardless or in spite of their circumstances.  If you haven't read it you should.

Here are the food shots...

Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps


Veggies

Fruit

Lemon Cookies
 We missed those of you who weren't there!

Next month Brenda is hosting and Shannon is reviewing The Great Gatsby.



Monday, April 30, 2012

Book Club Thursday Night!


Book Club is Thursday night
Heidi's house
7:00 PM

Be there or be square!

Monday, April 9, 2012

Mango Love

Shannon hosted  book club and she did not disappoint! 

She treated us to some amazing chicken mango curry served over rice, a fabulous salad, rolls and well I'll let you see dessert in a sec. (Thanks to britney for taking the photos this month!)




Brenda, Heidi & Kristie 

Bethany, Shannon & Britney


And finally here is the wonderful vanilla bunt cake with mango sauce!

Heaven on a plate

We also discussed People of the Book and really liked the construction of the book and the way each story gave a personal narrative of the people who held the Haggadah.

We recommend it!

Next month is hosted by Heidi and we will discuss The Glass Castle

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Recipes



Here is the link to the recipe for the Rumbi Rice Salad.  Just click HERE




Trolley Salad

Salad
green or red leaf lettuce
spinach
red cabbage- shredded
carrots- shredded
Parmesan Cheese- shredded
Sliced Sugared Almonds ( melt sugar in non-stick pan. stir in almonds until coated). . .use brown sugar with a little butter. . .but whatever works for you!
crisp bacon crumbled
grilled chicken breast sliced thin

Poppy Seed Dressing
2 cups Canola Oil
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp. dry mustard (or dijon mustard)
2 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
blend in blender adding oil to rest of ingredients slowly or slowly add oil to ingred. while beating with hand mixer
stir in 1 T poppy seeds

These were sooo good! I will be making them both soon!

Friday, March 2, 2012

Book Club at Kristie's House

We had a super tim eat Kristie's house last night!  She really went all out and made us quite the spread.  (MUST POST RECIPES!)

Art City Salad
Poppy Seed Dressing

Sweet Perfect Fruit

Yummy homemade rolls


Rumbi Rice

Grilled Chicken

Veggies

Cake Bites

I didn't get a shot of the amazing mint brownies she made too. We had a few missing members due to cols and classes and such.  We missed you all! But here are the pics of the ladies who got to eat all that great food...

Kristie, Kara & Brenda


Heidi, Britney & Shannon
We had a really great discussion about the book and about memories.  We talked a lot about how memories are formed and how they shape our decisions.  We all like the book but felt like the ending could have been a bit stronger. We also agreed that some parts were obviously written by a male. Hee Hee

We also talked in to the night about other random things.  It was a lot of fun!

One thing we talked about was Briney and her weird pose she kept making at the Oscars. In cae you missed it here it is.


See you next month to review People of the Book at Shannon's house!

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Book Club Tomorrow Night!



Don't forget to come to book club tomorrow night at Kristie's house.
We will start just a little bit later -- 7:15 to give Kristie time to pick up her kids.
See you there!

Monday, February 6, 2012

Book Club at Marianna's


We had a super time at Marianna's home Thursday night!

She made us a lovely tomato soup, salad and warm soft rolls.  Then served us a warm raspberry rhubarb cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

We had a great discussion and were unanimous in our love for the book!

See you next month @ Kristie's home to review Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson

Friday, January 27, 2012

February Book Club Info


Marianne is hosting book club for us!
I loved this book and can't wait to talk about it.

See you Thursday Feb 2nd @ 7:00pm
You will be receiving an email with her address.  If you don't get it let me know.

See you there!