Our New Member!

Welcome Miss Cathy!!! 

We are thrilled to have you join us!

December 2011: Reading Lolita in Tehran

 

HOSTESS: Oona

PAGES: 384

PUBLISHED: 2003

REASON CHOSEN:  "It has been recommended to me by multiple friends and family and I thought it would be great to read about women from another culture and get their take on classic literature."

MEETING DATE/TIME: Wedneaday, December 21st at 6:30PM

 

Every Thursday morning for two years in the Islamic Republic of Iran, a bold and inspired teacher named Azar Nafisi secretly gathered seven of her most committed female students to read forbidden Western classics. As Islamic morality squads staged arbitrary raids in Tehran, fundamentalists seized hold of the universities, and a blind censor stifled artistic expression, the girls in Azar Nafisi’s living room risked removing their veils and immersed themselves in the worlds of Jane Austen, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Henry James, and Vladimir Nabokov. In this extraordinary memoir, their stories become intertwined with the ones they are reading. Reading Lolita in Tehran is a remarkable exploration of resilience in the face of tyranny and a celebration of the liberating power of literature.

 

November 2011: Are You There, Vodka? Its Me, Chelsea

HOSTESS: Gina

PAGES: 264

PUBLISHED: 2008
REASON CHOSEN:  "I wanted a fun and entertaining read after a scary and intense read!"

MEETING DATE/TIME: November17th @ 6:30PM

Chelsea Handler is a woman on a mission. She's smart, sassy and not afraid to speak her mind. From an early age Chelsea knew exactly what she wanted and even in the trickiest of situations, she's never one to pass up an opportunity. Like the time she convinced her third-grade class she was shooting movies with Goldie Hawn on location in the Galapagos just to get them to like her, or when she spent the night in a women's prison, contemplating an affair with the inmate who killed her own sister. Chelsea it seems, has done it all, and a whole lot more...Any mishaps along the way just spur Chelsea on further. Whether she is being dry-humped by a sumo masseur, dumped by her Big Red experiment or kicked out of a London restaurant with her pants down, Chelsea is always armed with an unshakable disregard for rules and is incapable of leading a quiet life. "Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea" is an entertaining memoir-in-stories that will have you rolling around with laughter.

Still Missing Recap

Great meeting last week ladies!  I had a wonderful time even though I could only participate through Skype (my new favorite thing)!  I miss you all so much, but I'm so glad we still get to connect through book club!  I feel closer to you guys just by reading the same book :)

Intense book choice for October, Connie!  On to the scores....

Rachel 8
Monica 8.5
Corinna 7
Laura 8
Meagan 8
Michelle 7
Britt 8
Connie 8
Guest Book Club Bitch Amanda :) 3

OVERAL RATING: 7.3

October 2011: Still Missing

HOSTESS: Connie
PAGES: 352
PUBLISHED: 2010
REASON CHOSEN:  "I picked this book because I thought we needed something creepy for October!"
MEETING DATE/TIME: September 27th @ 6:30PM

On the day she was abducted, Annie O’Sullivan, a thirty-two year old realtor, had three goals—sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever- patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all. Interwoven with the story of the year Annie spent as the captive of psychopath in a remote mountain cabin, which unfolds through sessions with her psychiatrist, is a second narrative recounting events following her escape—her struggle to piece her shattered life back together and the ongoing police investigation into the identity of her captor. The truth doesn’t always set you free.

The Help Movie Recap and Pictures

What a great movie...Right?!  I think we were all impressed at the phenominal similarities between the book and the movie.  Definitely a great film!  Thanks everyone for spending the day with your fellow bitches :)

Have a great week!  XOXO.....



September 2011: It Looked Different on the Model

HOSTESS: Monica
PAGES: 240 pages
PUBLISHED: 2011
REASON CHOSEN: "I picked this book because I wanted something humorous and light for summertime and the reviews all looked good."
MEETING DATE/TIME: September 15th @ 6:30PM
FIRST IMPRESSION RATING (AVERAGE): 4.8

Everyone’s favorite Idiot Girl, Laurie Notaro, is just trying to find the right fit, whether it’s in the adorable blouse that looks charming on the mannequin but leaves her in a literal bind or in her neighborhood after she’s shamefully exposed at a holiday party by delivering a low-quality rendition of “Jingle Bells.” Notaro makes misstep after riotous misstep as she shares tales of marriage and family, including stories about the dog-bark translator that deciphers Notaro’s and her husband’s own “woofs” a little too accurately, the emails from her mother with “FWD” in the subject line (“which in email code means Forecasting World Destruction”), and the dead-of-night shopping sprees and Devil Dog–devouring monkeyshines of a creature known as “Ambien Laurie.” At every turn, Notaro’s pluck and irresistible candor set the New York Times bestselling author on a journey that’s laugh-out-loud funny and utterly unforgettable.

Firefly Lane Recap

Thank you Michelle for hosting us!  We had a small turnout for bookclub this month, but it was still a fun successful meeting!  The book reminded us alot of one of the books we read last year Best Friends Forever.

Most of us cried at the end of this emotional story and felt that it was a great summer read.

Below are the ratings and pictures!

(sorry about the blurry pics....this is the best I can do with my iphone)

Ratings:

Connie 7

Michelle 7

Laura 8.5

Britt 7

Gina 7

OVERALL RATING: 7.3

No first impression rating for this book...I forgot to ask all of you at the last meeting. 

 Without Meagan and Michelle taking the Quiz, I actually won!

 Oreo brownie cheesecake...delicious!

Miss Gina

 Miss Laura

 Our darling hostess Michelle

 Connie explaing next month's book selection!

Frits!..Our Mascot for the meeting.

Book Club Outing - Sunday Brunch and The Help!

Let's step back in time to enjoy a fabulous Sunday with one another as we watch the premiere of "The Help"!

SUNDAY AUGUST 14TH, 2011

12:00PM Meet for Brunch at Old Granite Street Eatery (Here is a copy of their menu Old Granite Brunch .....YUM!

3:00PM "The Help" at Riverside Theater (Buy tickets at Fandango)

Feel free to dress up in your 1960's vintage attire.  Here are some pictures and websites to give you some ideas :) 

I've already picked out my dress...can't wait! :)

VINTAGE CLOTHING SITES:

Costumes Worn by Emma Stone

http://www.modcloth.com/

http://www.pinupgirlclothing.com/vintage-style-inspired-clothing/retrodresses.html

http://www.dressingvintage.com/vintage-womens/dresses-and-suits/day/index-1950's%20and%201960's%20day%20dresses.html

http://www.stopstaringclothing.com/sunshop/index.php?l=product_list&c=1



August 2011: Firefly Lane

 

HOSTESS: Michelle

PAGES: 496 pages

PUBLISHED: 2008

REASON CHOSEN: "It was recommended to me."

MEETING DATE/TIME: August 11th @ 6:30PM

 

In the turbulent summer of 1974, Kate Mularkey has accepted her place at the bottom of the eighth-grade social food chain. Then, to her amazement, the “coolest girl in the world” moves in across the street and wants to be her friend. Tully Hart seems to have it all—-beauty, brains, ambition. On the surface they are as opposite as two people can be: Kate, doomed to be forever uncool, with a loving family who mortifies her at every turn. Tully, steeped in glamour and mystery, but with a secret that is destroying her. They make a pact to be best friends forever; by summer’s end they’ve become TullyandKate. Inseparable.
 
So begins Kristin Hannah’s magnificent new novel. Spanning more than three decades and playing out across the ever-changing face of the Pacific Northwest, Firefly Lane is the poignant, powerful story of two women and the friendship that becomes the bulkhead of their lives.

Butterfly Recap



Last week's book club meeting was great!  Thank you Meagan for being a wonderful host!  The view was amazing, the food was fantastic and the company and book discussion were great!

The decor and food were perfect with butterflies everywhere, we dined on famous Royal Burgers and french fries with  jalapenos!  Perfectly fitting and delicious....

The book was well received and enjoyed by all of us.  It kept us hooked with all of the suspense, mystery, tradgedy, triumph and........... of course there was the sex! 

It was a great summer read! 

Here are the tallies:

Michelle 7.5
Corinna 8.5
Connie 8
Britt 7

Monica 8

Rachel 8

Meagan 8

OVERALL RATING: 7.85

Difference from First Impression Rating: +.85



Connie and Rachel

Monica

Michelle Britt and Meagan

Congratulations to Rachel for winning the Quiz!

Our Mascot for the Evening



July 2011: Butterfly

 

HOSTESS: Meagan

PAGES: 544

PUBLISHED: 1988

REASON CHOSEN: "It was recommended by my friend's book club.  I wanted a fun summer read an I thought it looked interesting!  All the reviews I read about it were great!  So hopefully it lives up to what everyone says!"

MEETING TIME/DATE: July 7th - 6:30PM

FIRST IMPRESSION RATING (AVERAGE): 7

 

Above an exclusive men's store on Rodeo Drive there is a private club called Butterfly, where women are free to act out their secret erotic fantasies. Only the most beautiful and powerful women in Beverly Hills are invited to join ...

Jessica--The lawyer, who longs for the days when men were men, and women dressed to please them

Trudie--The builder, who wants a man who will challenge her-all of her-with no holds barred

Linda--The surgeon, who uses masks to unmask the desires she hides even from herself

But the most mysterious of them all is the woman who created Butterfly. She has changed her name, her accent, even her face to hide her true identity. And now she is about to reveal everything to realize the dream that has driven her since childhood--the secret obsession that will carry her beyond ecstasy, or destroy her and everyone around her!

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Recap

RATINGS:
Connie - 8
Meagan - 7
Oona - 8.5
Monica - 8
Rachel - 8.5

AVERAGE:  8
Difference from First Impression Rating: +1

Good Choice Rachel!

Book Trailer: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

June 2011: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

 

HOSTESS: Rachel

PAGES: 384

PUBLISHED: 2010

REASON CHOSEN: "I chose the book because it looked interesting and had some really good reviews, plus I had to redeem myself for my horrible book last year!"

FIRST IMPRESSION RATING (AVERAGE): 7

 

Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor black tobacco farmer whose cells--taken without her knowledge in 1951--became one of the most important tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, in vitro fertilization, and more. Henrietta's cells have been bought and sold by the billions, yet she remains virtually unknown, and her family can't afford health insurance.

Soon to be made into an HBO movie by Oprah Winfrey and Alan Ball, this New York Times bestseller takes readers on an extraordinary journey, from the "colored" ward of Johns Hopkins Hospital in the 1950s to stark white laboratories with freezers filled with HeLa cells, from Henrietta's small, dying hometown of Clover, Virginia, to East Baltimore today, where her children and grandchildren live and struggle with the legacy of her cells. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks tells a riveting story of the collision between ethics, race, and medicine; of scientific discovery and faith healing; and of a daughter consumed with questions about the mother she never knew. It"s a story inextricably connected to the dark history of experimentation on African Americans, the birth of bioethics, and the legal battles over whether we control the stuff we're made of.

 

The Book Thief Recap

Happy Saturday Ladies! 

Thank you to Corinna for hosting us on Thursday!  We had a delicious dinner of Steak Kabobs, Caesar Salad, Rice and a fitting German Chocolate Cake!  Oh and of course there was wine!

The Book Thief recieved an overall rating of 7.75 which was .5 points higher than our first impression rating!

The overall feelings of the book were positive from most readers and although the topic was a depressing one the relationships between the characters and endearing and creative writing style kept us hooked!

Here are the pics:

Beautiful Table

The Book Thief's Stolen Books

The Book THE IF?

Two of our Beautiful Members Rachel and Connie

Two More Beautiful BCBRNO Members Gina and Michelle

Monica, Rachel and Connie intently listening to our hostess.

Our wonderful hostess Corinna cleaning up

Meagan helping out in the kitchen

I had to take a picture of the German Wine!

THE HELP TRAILER!

ITS FINALLY HERE.....
"The Help"  Movie Trailer
I got chills watching!  I can't wait to see this movie with you girls!



April 2011: The Book Thief

HOSTESS: Corinna
PAGES: 560
PUBLISHED: 2006
MEETING TIME/DATE: April 28th - 6:30PM
REASON CHOSEN: "After doing an extensive search I realized this was the ONE simply because its not like any book I've ever read."
FIRST IMPRESSION RATING: 7.5 (average)

Kami - 8
Megs - 8
Oona - 8.5
Gina - 7
Michelle - 7
Connie - 7

Death himself narrates the story of Liesel, a German girl left with foster parents just before the outbreak of World War II. Along the way to her new home with her younger brother, he dies; after the funeral, Liesel steals The Gravedigger's Handbook, though she cannot yet read. It's only the first of what will become a series of book thefts. As she settles in with her harsh but caring foster mother, Rosa, and kind foster father, Hans, Liesel gets to know her poor neighborhood and learns to read. Her obsession with books grows as the war closes in, rationing is put in place, air raids begin, and Hans hides a Jewish man in the basement. Through it all, Death travels the Earth, taking in more and more souls every day.

The Longest Trip Home Recap

I heard this was a great meeting and a great book!  So sad I missed it!  Here are the results...

Meagan - 8
Gina - 7
Michelle - 7 
Corinna - 6.5 (because she got it on DVD and the narrator had a lisp)
Oona - 8
Connie - 9
Kami - 7

AVERAGE:  7.5
Difference from First Impression Rating: +.25

March 2011: The Longest Trip Home

HOSTESS: Kami
PAGES: 352
PUBLISHED: 2008
MEETING DATE/TIME: March 24th - 7:00PM
REASON CHOSEN: "My mom's book club read it and they really loved it.  And, he is a good author!"
FIRST IMPRESSION RATING (AVERAGE): 7.25

Corinna: 7
Kami: 8
Gina: 6.5
Connie: 7
Britt: 7
Laura: 8

Despite his loving parents' best efforts, John's attempts to meet their expectations failed spectacularly. Whether it was his disastrous first confession, spying on his sunbathing neighbor through a telescope, sneaking swigs of sacramental wine at mass, or shooting fireworks at a cranky elderly neighbor's house, John discovered that the faith and fervor that came so effortlessly to his parents somehow had eluded him.
And then one day a few years later, the fledging journalist met a young woman named Jenny. As their love grew, John began the painful, funny, and poignant journey into adulthood—away from his parents' orbit and into a life of his own. It would take a ffateful call and the onset of illness to lead him on the final leg of his journey—the trip home again.

The Longest Trip Home is a book for any son or daughter who has sought to forge an identity at odds with their parents', and for every parent who has struggled to understand the values of their children. With his trademark blend of humor and pathos that made Marley & Me beloved by millions, John Grogan traces the universal journey each of us must take to find our unique place in the world.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake Recap

Great book club last night ladies!  We missed many of you due to the weather :( but it  was a great night!

Laura made a wonderful dinner and we had a fun and lively discussion.  The reviews were varied as some of us loved the book and some of us had a difficult time with it.  We also got to celebrate Kami's birthday!  Thank you for sharing your special day with us Kam!  Happy Birthday!

Here are the scores:

Connie: 4

Corinna: 6

Gina: 7

Kami: 5

Laura: 8

Britt: 4

Oona: 5

Meagan: 6

Michelle: 4

Monica: 3

Rachel: 5

AVERAGE:  5.18
Difference from First Impression Rating: +.18

Birthday Themed Table!

This salad was delicious! (There is the Marie's dressing you loved, Connie)

Chicken, Green Beans and Rice...Yum!

Birthday Girl



Birthday Girl blowing out the candle on her lemon cake cupcake!

The Quiz Prize - $25 Gift Card to PF Changs! 

So generous Laura!