2013 In Review

For a full list of all we've ever read see What We Have Read

This list doubles as a blog index for the posts of 2013, just click on the title or author to see the blog entry for that book.

February 2013

The Hobbit 

by J.R.R. Tolkien

(320 pages)

Hostess: Heather

March 2013

Unbroken 

by Laura Hillenbrand 

(496 pages)

Hostess: Brooke

April 2013

The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food, and Love

by Kristin Kimball

(275 pages)

Hostess: Michelle

May 2013

Pope Joan

by Donna Woolfolk Cross

(432 pages)

Hostess: Amanda

June 2013

The Vicar of Wakefield

by Oliver Goldsmith

(224 pages)

Hostess: Eva

July 2013 
(July proved too complicated so we skipped it and met in August instead, pushing everything back a month)

August 2013
Anne of Green Gables
by Lucy Maud Montgomery
474 pages
Hostess:  Julie

September 2013
The Beekeeper's Apprentice #1
by Laurie R. King
Hostess: Amanda

October 2013
The Cross and the Switchblade
by David Wilkerson
Hostess:  Brenda

November 2013
Gone With the Wind
by Margaret Mitchell
Hostess: Michelle

December 2013
The Mansion
by Van Dyke
Hostess:  Lisa F

  

2012 in Review

Each title will link you its blog post.
The first 3 months have 2 posts each.  That seemed complicated and I have just one for the following months.

January
Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte 
"Discussion" Post

Host: Lisa F.

February

Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (this link includes the timeline)
"Discussion" post
Host: Margaret

March

Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Poisonwood Bible Related Photos

Host: Eva 

April
Tao of Pooh
Host: Stephanie 

 

May

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
Host: Kelly 

June

Planning Meeting+Poetry+Vonnegut

Host: Mary Anne

Schedule July-December

July 

Hostess: Brooke 

Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner.  341pages

August  

Hostess:  Julie 

The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiayama.   224 pages

September 

Hostess:  Amanda

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson.   447pages

.

October  Hostess: Chelsea

Mutant Message Down Under by Marlo Morgan 187 pages

November 

Hostess: Mary Anne

Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale

December 

Hostess:  Heather

The Greatest Salesman in the World  by Og Mandino 128 pages

New Links! & Choosing the Right Media

In the Literary Links box to the right I've added in a few more links. 
American Library Association's Notable books of 2012.

This was from Julie:
Here's a website link to a great list of must-read books for kids. It allows you to sort by age and other categories. Thought you would enjoy it. Pass along to others you might think are interested.
http://www.scholastic.com/100books/

And from Chelsea's comment I added her suggestion WhatShouldIReadNext.

Also for any who haven't had a chance to see it or who haven't noticed it, I added a page about what is invovled in hosting book group. See the tab above "Happy Hosting!"
 
I finally managed to get those links posted because I am using them as I try to pull together a Spring Break Book List for the Activity Day Girls (the 8-11 year-old girls at our church).  I'm staying home from church with a sick kid and it seemed like a good time to work on it.

Another resource is the book reviews they have in the Friend Magazine.  I finally figured out they Have Book Reivews in each May and November issue. 

For those with older kids there is an article in the New Era Magazine for teens: Out of the Best Books, Movies or Music.

From the April 2012 issue of the Friend Magazine.  Here is some good information about choosing good literature and media.  It's aimed at kids 12 and under but it's good advice for ALL ages. 

Choose the Right Media

 Every day you have choices.

What Should I Read?  What Should I Watch?  What Should I Listen To?  What Should I Play?

 So how do you decide?

• • 
  Pay attention to your feelings.
• • 
  Listen to the Holy Ghost.
• • 
  Put this checklist by your TV, computer, or MP3 player. If you have any checks on the Stop! list, it’s time to turn it off, put it down, and walk away.

Go!

• • 
  It is uplifting and helps me feel good inside.
• • 
  It helps me feel safe.
• • 
  It’s interesting; it’s teaching me good things.
• • 
  It helps me want to obey Heavenly Father’s commandments.
• • 
  It gives me good ideas and inspires me to do good things.
• • 
  I wouldn’t mind if my parents or siblings were reading, watching, or listening to it.
• • 
  I know it’s appropriate.
• • 
  I feel it’s pleasing to Heavenly Father.

Stop!

• • 
  It has swearing or crude words.
• • 
  It shows or talks about violence.
• • 
  It shows or talks about breaking Heavenly Father’s commandments.
• • 
  It makes me feel dull, tired, or like I’m wasting my time.
• • 
  It makes me think it would be OK to do wrong things.
• • 
  It makes me feel uncomfortable, nervous, scared, or mad.
• • 
  I’m not sure if it’s something I should read, watch, or listen to.
• • 
  I wouldn’t want my parents or siblings to know I’m reading, watching, or listening to it.

A Special Scripture

“For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God” (Moroni 7:16).

Oh No!

Sometimes you can make a bad media choice, either by accident or because you were unwise. When this happens, don’t panic. Here are some things you can do:

1. 1. 
   Say a prayer asking Heavenly Father to forgive you if you did it on purpose, and help you feel better.
2. 2. 
   Tell a parent about what happened and ask for help.
3. 3. 
   You can also:
   • Listen to, play, or sing a favorite Primary song.
   • Read a story from the Friend or from the scriptures.
   • Change the scene—go play outside or do something helpful for a friend or family member.

Turning It Off

One day, I was playing a good, fun game on the Internet. Then I noticed that the website I was on was advertising games with blood and gore. I had an uncomfortable feeling, so I exited the website. Later I found the same game on a different website that did not advertise bad games. I felt way better after I turned off the website advertising bad games. I am glad I have the gift of the Holy Ghost so I can be protected and comforted. I am glad the Holy Ghost helps me make good choices.

Renton O., age 10, Utah

Standing Up for Values

While I was at my friend’s birthday party, we were voting on movies to watch. There were two out of the five that I knew I shouldn’t watch. I told my friend that I didn’t want to watch those two movies. She wasn’t very happy about that, but she did respect my values. We ended up watching a movie that I felt was appropriate. I am glad I have the gospel standard to follow: “I will only read and watch things that are pleasing to Heavenly Father.”

Kaitlyn M., age 11, Washington

Some Great Choices

• • 
  Listen to or watch scripture stories at scripturestories.lds.org.
• • 
  Watch videos and listen to music at lds.org/friend and lds.org/youth.
• • 
  Download music from lds.org/youth.
• • 
  And, of course, read the Friend!

What Our Group Should Read Next . . .

Our next planning meeting is in June, but so you don't forget ideas you have in the meantime and so we have them in a findable, accessible place.  Let's start that list here!

All you have to do is leave a comment with the book title and author.  If you're feeling ambitious you can throw in a link and/or why you think it would be good.

• Post one book per comment so others can comment on it to support or question it without confusion. 
• When commenting on a suggestion be sure to reply to the comment itself and not the post in general.

Chelsea's Favorite Books (a few of them anyway)

Making this list makes me wish I was more consistent with my Goodreads account and that I'd been keeping it for a lot longer. I know there are books I have read and liked more than some of these, but these are what came to mind scrolling through my books there.

Books with a *star next to them have subject material, themes or language which you might want to be aware of before reading them. 
Books that are bold are some of my all time favorites.

Non-Fiction books I've loved:

"Shockwave: countdown to Hiroshima" by Stephen Walker

* "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beah

* "The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Place on Earth" by Eric Weiner

"Eve and the Choice Made in Eden" by Beverly Campbell

"Funny In Farsi: A Memoir of Growing up Iranian in America"Firoozeh Dumas

* "Reading Lolita in Tehran" by Azar Nafisi

Historical Novels:

"The Kommandant's Girl" by Pam Jenoff

All of Michelle Moran's novels (Nefertitti etc)

"How to be an American Housewife" by Margaret Dilloway

* "Shanghai Girls" by Lisa See

"Peony in Love" by Lisa See

* "Cold Mountain" by Charles Frazier

Contemporary Novels:

* "The Hour I First Believed" by Wally Lamb

"The Sugar Queen" by Sarah Addison Allen

"Peace like a River" by Lief Enger

YA Books:

The Percy Jackson books by Rick Riordan

The Little House books by Laura Ingells Wilder

Classics:

"The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexander Dumas

"Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte

"Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte

"A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith

"Cane" by Jean Toomer

"The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck

Mary Anne's Favorites and Recommendations

My favorites:
*Marks ones that have content that may be found questionable.


Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury: I’ve read this a few times before, but I find myself looking up parts in it that remind me so much of things in my life. I just grow fonder of this book as time goes by and my little boys grow up. Here's a quote.

“You did not hear them coming. You hardly heard them go. The grass bent down, sprang up again. They passed like cloud shadows downhill . . .the boys of summer running.”

I can’t help but think of this on summer evenings when my boys are running, chasing their own shadows cast by the porch light.

Bradbury writes in a rather poetic style and I know that bothers some people so this may not be for everyone, but being set in the midwest around the time my parents grew up it felt like home to me in many ways. And now with my little boys I can relate to it and them in a new way. I would not recommend the sequel, Farewell Summer, I almost regret reading it myself in a way, but ut if you love this book talk to me about it.




by Gene Stratton-Porter.  
The Harvester: David Langston.  Sweet love story.  Set in Indiana.  Adorable animals.  Lovely countryside.  Read it with a seed catalog nearby so if you feel so inclined you can look up some of the plants.  
Girl of the Limberlost: Set in the Limberlost swamps of Northern Indiana this is a story of a girl finding a way to accomplish her goals and it has a love story too.  Again, seed catalog and a field guide to moths might be beneficial.


Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner.  Another that reminds me of my parents.  It hurts to read it though, but I imagine that's mostly because of my mother.   It is beautifully written.


The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck
This book is a great view at both sides of a Nazi occupied, unnamed European town.  It's Brilliant and with the wars our country is involved in it's very relevant today.  


by Shannon Hale. I will list them in order of my most favorite on down, but all of her young adult novels are favorites:
Book of a Thousand Days
River Secrets (Book 3 in the Books of Bayern)
The Goose Girl (Book 1 in the Books of Bayern)
Enna Burning (Book 2 in the Books of Bayern)
Princess Academy (she's writing a sequel to this)
Forest Born (Book 4 in the Books of Bayern).  This is not actually my least favorite, but being a youngest child like the main character of this book made this book hard to read for me on an emotional level so it wasn't as much fun for me as the first 3.
She has also written novels for adults:  Austenland, which if you're a Jane Austen fan you'll enjoy.  It's a light read.  She's also just written a sequel to this, Midnight in Austenland, which being a murder mystery is not as light as the first but still a fun read.  Austenland the movie should be coming out this year too.
The Actor and the Housewife is another of hers that has a seemingly appalling premise, but is well-worth the read.  Very well written and not what you think it will be.
She has also written two lovely graphic novels, Rapunzel's Revenge and Calamity Jack (I think Disney ripped off Flynn Rider from him and some of Rapunzel's Revenge too for that matter).  They are fun for kids in the 9 year old range I'd say.


Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury: This story is brilliant although disturbing because what once seemed unfathomable futuristic issues has really his much closer to today's reality than anyone would have believed.  Yet I believe too that it shows that there are those that no matter how bad it gets will step back, look and try to do something about it.  There is an excellent audio version of this read by the author (although if it's your first time through it might be a little odd) that also has an interview with him at the end.  I would also recommend that you read the afterword.  
I would also recommend Ray Bradbury's short stories, I've not read them all but all that I have read are brilliantly done.  



*The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri.  I loved this book.  I feel like it has universal appeal in the struggle of the son to determine what he chooses to be, which parts all his own and which parts from his heritage, something we all must decide.  
She has also written two collections of short stories that I loved although most of them are rather depressing, *Interpreter of Maladies (which she won a Pulitzer Prize for) and *Unaccustomed Earth.


Many of my favorites are already listed on the Books to Beat the Winter Blues and Blahs so look there too.




More to come . . . .