Spoiler Alert Tuesday

Today is the final installment of TNT's Water for Elephants reading group!

I am sorta sad that it's done because it's nice to hear others' thoughts on the book.

But mostly I was sad when I finished the book because it's one of those that I just wanted to keep going.

Click here to see the eye candy they posted!

And don't forget:

August's pick is The Host by Stephenie Meyer.

Have a great week!

Spoiler Alert Tuesday

It's that time again!

Click here for the awesomeness!

Spoiler Alert Tuesday

Okay, so it's Wednesday, not Tuesday.

However, one of our lovely hosts over at TNT was held up by an invasion of MIL yesterday.

So click here to see their post!

I'm already done with the book, it was so good!

What do you think so far?

Spoiler Alert Tuesday

Trixie and Tess have a post about Water For Elephants today!

Go here for your spoiler alert.

Are you loving WFE so far?

Spoiler Alert Tuesday

I can NOT believe that it's already July 6th! Sheesh.

That being said, our friends Trixie and Tess are doing week 1 of the Water For Elephants

reading group! Don't worry, it's not too late to get the book, they are starting today, and they actually have a timeline as to what chapters they are reading. We could do that with our books, but I'm lazy.

 Click here to see what they're talking about today!

Blockbuster Announcement!!

Okay, ladies, it's time for our ginormous blockbuster announcement!!!

I wanted to make sure we got everything ironed out and all the "i's" dotted and "t's" crossed so I could roll out the red carpet on our summer reading.

We have decided to go with particular themes in choosing our books just to shake things up a bit!

Our summer theme is Blockbuster Movie Summer Reading Fun!! 

First, I'll tell you the July pick and how to follow along with the bookclub for that month. Then I will explain the Blockbuster Movie tie-in to the book and how that will work with our August pick. 'Kay?

The book for July is....drumroll please...

Water For Elephants

We are linking up with our favorite Twi-fans, Trixie and Tess, to read and join in the discussion for this book.

How this will work is that every time Trixie and Tess do a post about the book, we will make sure to link up with them so you don't miss out on the discussion. If you don't follow them already, you may want to start so that you don't miss out! Click here to read how the bookclub will work with T&T. Then click here to read their post about WFE and how you may be able to win a copy of the book!

Now, I'm sure you're all wondering..."Girlfriends. What the heck does Water For Elephants have to do with Blockbuster Movie Summer Reading Fun...?! Have you lost your ever lovin' minds?" Well, as an aside, we probably have lost our minds, but! Here is how this ties in...

Water for Elephants is being made into a movie. Right now. As we speak. Swears.

Next question..."Girlfriends, what does WFE have to do with a Twilight blog...?"

The guy who plays Edward Cullen in Twilight, is also playing the lead in WFE. Duh. Forehead slap.

Edward Cullen

Jacob Jankowski

I know he looks different, but trust me, it's the same dude.

Okay.

dude!! I just thought of something else...the guy plays edward in twilight...and jacob in WFE! hello, if you read twilight, you know what i'm talking about...edward/jacob?! okay. i'll stop now.

Are you following so far?

This is where we make the next step in our breadcrumb trail that leads to our Blockbuster Movie Summer Reading Fun. (BMSRF from here on out because I'm tired of typing all of that out.)
One Blockbuster that is coming out very soon is Eclipse, a Twilight Saga movie.
(don't worry, we aren't making you go watch it, but really, why wouldn't you want to see all that hotness??    Jacob....mmm....Edward...mmm...somebody trying to kill Bella...oh yeah, that's the best part.)


The Twilight Saga was written by none other than Stephenie Meyer. Since we're sort of on this Twilight theme here...why not make our August pick a book by Ms. Meyer? We figure some of you avid book snobs readers won't want to read a Twilight book, so we're picking The Host for August. A very different sort of book by the Twilight author, yet no vamps involved at all!

Not only is this book by the author of Twilight (which has edward in it; played by rob pattinson. rob pattinson is also in WFE; hence our july pick.) but this book is also going to be a movie!!

And last, but not least, Jessica and MiMi will be traveling to Forks, Washington in September for Stephenie Meyer Day!!

Actually. Hmm. Does that have anything to do with this book or anything...? Well. Yes. I'm gonna say yes. In a roundabout, follow the breadcrumbs and don't fall into the quicksand that is my brain, way.

And that, ladies, is our announcement!

Summer is for Blockbusters and for reading, so why not combine the two?

July's pick is Water For Elephants, linked up with T&T.

August's pick is The Host, by Stephenie Meyer.


What do you all think? Good? Bad? Ugly?

Spoiler Alert Tuesday

What?! It's Tuesday?! Oh. Yep. Guess it is.

This is what happens when you have a long weekend. You think Tuesday is Monday.

This is our final post on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo!

We are taking a break for June so everyone can finish whatever book they are reading and get caught up. We will be back in July and hopefully have a clearer schedule where we will have book picks up on time. *Ahem. MiMi tends to forget the 15th of the month. Like every month.*

I am crossing my fingers that we will be participating in a cool feature in July with another blog that we love.

Spoilers Below!!

Who did you think was the protagonist of the book? Mikael or Lisbeth?

Do you think Lisbeth has a diagnosable disorder, or is her personality just quirky? Like, majorly quirky.

At the end did you wish that they got together?

What did you think of the last scene were Lisbeth sees Mikael and Berger?

Why do you think Mikael decided not to publish the story about the Vanger clan?

**most importantly though...did you pronounce Mikael like Michael or Muh-kayle...?**

Spoiler Alert Tuesday

So here's the deal. I'm not finished with this book yet. Are you?

Since next Tuesday is actually the 1st of June (already?!) I'm gonna do the last Spoiler Alert post for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo next Tuesday.

Then I'm not sure what to do...I'm just playing around with some ideas here.

Let me brainstorm out loud here...or in print, anyway.

Should we:

a) take the summer off?

b) let someone else choose the books for the summer months?

c) pick our noses? (woops. how did that one get on the list?)

d) keep on as usual?

e) have a contest to pick which book?

What? My brain is on overload right now, so I can't think.

Spoilers Below!!

Last Tuesday I asked you why you thought Salander didn't go to the police after the rape.

Did you guys read what she did?? Personally, I think it was even better than going to the police!! She got some major revenge. I'm thinking if I ever had some problem I'd want her on my side.

What sense do you get from this book so far?

Is it more of a family saga or more of a mystery?

Perhaps both rolled into a mystery wrapped in a conundrum?

What do you think of the sexual relationship between Blomkvist and Cecilia?

Is it a large part of the story or not?

Are you doing well with the weird words and the fact that it's a little different because it's written in and about Sweden? Do you think anything is "lost in translation?"

Spoiler Alert Tuesday

How is the book coming along for you?

I'm not even halfway through it yet, so I'm a little bit unqualified to ask too many questions.

I went to a site where I could see if I could find any book club questions for this book and I got a major spoiler alert of my own!! I think I found out something I didn't want to know. Ah well. I still don't know how it's gonna end, so that's good.

Spoiler Alert!!

What do you all think of Salander? Why is she the way that she is? She seems to be introverted and emotionless. She is the girl with the dragon tattoo, so she has to play a bigger part in the novel than I am aware of. What are your thoughts on why she basically lets the rape go unreported? She has a lot of distrust of anyone in authority.

Why??

Spoiler Alert Tuesday

How are you all doing with our book this month?

It's getting pretty interesting and I'm only about 1/3 of the way through.

Spoilers Below!!

Why do you think Blomkvist decided to go ahead and work for Vanger?

Do you think Vanger is obsessed with the disappearance of his niece or obsessed with taking down his family? Do you think it's both, or one more than the other?

Spoiler Alert Tuesday

Have you all started The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo?

We got a lot of e-mails from people being concerned about the choice because of a) there are some weird names in the book that can be hard to read; and b) it starts out very slow.

In answer to the two main concerns I have two much sought after secrets to let you in on:

About the weird names; the book is actually Swedish and has been translated. The names are still weird, so I suggest coming up with different names to use instead.

Examples would be: Blomkvist pronounced as Blowhard. Just a suggestion. You can use any name you like.

And yes, the first chapter is boring. It's explaining a bunch of political and business partnerships that are confusing because we're not Swedish.

So here's a synopsis on the first chapter, in my own words, in case you are bored by it and/or don't understand it. This is seriously condensed down. And I'm not even sure I have it correct, but here

it is anyway. It's a Spoiler!

Spoilers Below!!!

The first chapter details a Financial Reporter named Blowhard Blomkvist who tried to take down a giant corporation called Wennerstrom through tips from a "secret" source. Nothing could be proved because the corporation covers it's tracks very well. Either that or possibly they paid someone on the inside off.

The whole scheme that the corporation was involved in, is kind of convoluted or murky, I think because it's lost in translation, as they say. Either that or I'm just stupid. Which could be the case.

Basically, the Swedish government gave big amounts of money to big Swedish corporations to build up

 their companies.

This corporation, Wennerstrom (here on out called Weineschnitzel, pronounced with a V), took the money and used about 2 million of it to do what they were supposed to do. They were given 50 million.

Even though they only used the 2 million, and should have given the 48 back, they sunk it into something other than what they were supposed to, but they said it went towards building the company and therefore didn't have to pay it back. So they kept a bunch of money from the government (ie, taxpayers) and spent it on who knows what, and got away with it. (hey! this sounds like it could be in the US!)

When Blowhard Blomkvist tried to take them down, they had covered it all up so well, that they were able to sue him in return and now he's headed for 3 months of jail.

Now. I have no clue what that has to do with the story. Because when the story takes off, and it does, I promise (right around page 35-40), it begins to talk about a young investigator and a murder. And a weird family. And all kinds of weird stuff.

So. Stick with it, I've heard so many good things about it, and if you get past the first chapter, you're good.

Let us know what you think so far!

This is the last Spoiler Alert Tuesday for CeeCee!

Seems like it just flew by.

Maybe it was because, I personally, loved the book.

What did you all think?

What were some highlights for you?

Do you agree that the part of the novel about the hummingbird caught in the web of the beautiful (author's words, not ours!!) yellow spider was a direct paralell to CeeCee's life with her mother?

We really hope you enjoyed CeeCee, be sure to vote on our poll on the right sidebar.

Get ready to read our May pick:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Announcement

This is late, I know.

But what's new, right? I suck. I know. At least I own it!

Here is next month's book pick!

Click here to go to Amazon's book page for this pick.

From Publishers Weekly

Cases rarely come much colder than the decades-old disappearance of teen heiress Harriet Vanger from her family's remote island retreat north of Stockholm, nor do fiction debuts hotter than this European bestseller by muckraking Swedish journalist Larsson. At once a strikingly original thriller and a vivisection of Sweden's dirty not-so-little secrets (as suggested by its original title, Men Who Hate Women), this first of a trilogy introduces a provocatively odd couple: disgraced financial journalist Mikael Blomkvist, freshly sentenced to jail for libeling a shady businessman, and the multipierced and tattooed Lisbeth Salander, a feral but vulnerable superhacker. Hired by octogenarian industrialist Henrik Vanger, who wants to find out what happened to his beloved great-niece before he dies, the duo gradually uncover a festering morass of familial corruption—at the same time, Larsson skillfully bares some of the similar horrors that have left Salander such a marked woman. Larsson died in 2004, shortly after handing in the manuscripts for what will be his legacy.

Spoiler Alert Tuesday/Winner

Winner!!

The winner of last week's giveaway was provided by Random.org.

Congratulations Jane Anne!

It makes sense for you to win since you are a true Southerner!

Spoilers Below!!

First, why do you think the author decided to not have any male characters other than CeeCee's dad?

After the attack at the beach, Oletta tells CeeCee she must “reclaim her power”

to overcome her fears.

What are some times in your life when you had to stand up to reclaim your own power?

How did you go about it?

Spoiler Alert Tuesday/Giveaway

What's that, you say? A Spoiler Alert and a giveaway?!

That's right.

I finally got my arse off the couch my act together and took a picture

and am posting a giveaway!

First up...

Giveaway!!

**From Amazon.com**

Whether they’re called Sweet Potato Queens, Steel Magnolias, Ya-Ya Sisters, or Belles, everybody knows that Southern girls make the best friends. GRITS Friends are Forevah shows you how to tell if you have true GRITS (Girls Raised in the South) friends in your life. Do you know what her nose looked like before she "fixed her deviated septum"? Do you keep the secrets that even her husband doesn’t know? Do you find yourself giggling with her though you’re far too old to be behaving that way? From your first sorority rush to joining the local Red Hat society, and from long walks to long distance phone calls, a GRITS friend makes your victories sweeter, your laughter longer, and your pain gentler.

Whether Deborah is talking about Instant GRITS (young girls), or Seasoned GRITS (women over sixty), childhood friends, new-found pals, sisters, mothers, or even BYOB (Be Your Own Best Friend), she has tips for keeping the laughs and love alive, GRITS-style.

**Note**This is the second Grits book. There is another one called "The GRITS Guide to Life and Puttin’ on the Grits" if you'd like to read both. I thought this was the perfect giveaway for our pick this month; a book about strong southern women!

Spoilers Below!!

After CeeCee's mom dies her aunt comes to take her to Savannah. CeeCee's dad won't let her take all of her books. Why do you think books are such an important part of CeeCee's life?

The first portion of the book is sort of a "black and white" version of CeeCee's life.

After she moves to Savannah the book seems to spring to life in technicolor.

Do you think this has to do more with the characters and their quirks or the fact that CeeCee is no longer around her mom's illness?

There are so many different, vivid characters to choose from!

Who is your favorite character so far?

As usual, just comment to enter our giveaway!

Spoiler Alert...Wednesday...?

Sorry, friends! I meant to post this yesterday. I thought about it all day long. But I never did it. Why?

I have no idea. I'm a loser.

Spoilers Below!!

When Ceecee's mom gets hit by the truck and dies, do you think it was purely accident or was she looking for a way to be "free"?

Camille wanted to move back to Savannah. Do you think the severity of her illness was intensified by being someplace she didn't feel was right for her?

What do you think of Camille's illness? Was it portrayed in a respectful way? What exactly do you think she was afflicted with?

Ceecee blames her father for her mother's death. Do you agree with that?

Spoiler Alert Tuesday

Sorry ladies, I had this ready to go yesterday, you know, on TUESDAY, and I thought it was scheduled but it was sitting in drafts. So, a day late, here it is.

This is our first Spoiler Alert for our new book, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt.

I actually wasn't able to get a copy of this book, so I went to audible.com and purchased it. If any of you are interested in listening to the book instead of reading, I suggest going to audible.com to get it for your iPod.

It's a whole lot different to listen to a book then to read it. The reader of this novel has so much inflection in her voice and does the different characters in different voices, which makes it very interesting.

Spoilers Below!!

Poor CeeCee's mom has a mental affliction of some kind. This was in the 1950's where it was not uncommon, in fact, it was common practice to lobotomize people with minimal afflictions.

Do you think Camille was schizophrenic, bi-polar or something else?

Do you blame CeeCee's father and his absence for a lot of her problems?

Spoiler Alert Tuesday

This is going to be the last Spoiler Alert for Bitter is the New Black.

The reason is because April's book pick is probably going to have more talking points and April is a shorter month, so I am thinking we will start the Spoiler Alerts on Tuesday, March 30th.

We want to hear how you've liked Jen Lancaster.

Is this the first of her books you've read?

Will you read more?

What do you think was the funniest part?

Do you know anyone like her or are you, yourself, like her?

Come back next Tuesday when we begin our April's pick, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt!

Announcement

We have our April book pick ready to announce!

Are you ready??

We think this is gonna be a good one.

April's book pick is:

Go here to see Amazon's book page for this pick.

**This is a new release.**

From Publishers Weekly

Hoffman's debut, a by-the-numbers Southern charmer, recounts 12-year-old Cecelia Rose Honeycutt's recovery from a childhood with her crazy mother, Camille, and cantankerous father, Carl, in 1960s Willoughby, Ohio. After former Southern beauty queen Camille is struck and killed by an ice cream truck, Carl hands over Cecelia to her great-aunt Tootie. Whisked off to a life of privilege in Savannah, Ga., Cecelia makes fast friends with Tootie's cook, Oletta, and gets to know the cadre of eccentric women who flit in and out of Tootie's house, among them racist town gossip Violene Hobbs and worldly, duplicitous Thelma Rae Goodpepper. Aunt Tootie herself is the epitome of goodness, and Oletta is a sage black woman. Unfortunately, any hint of trouble is nipped in the bud before it can provide narrative tension, and Hoffman toys with, but doesn't develop, the idea that Cecelia could inherit her mother's mental problems. Madness, neglect, racism and snobbery slink in the background, but Hoffman remains locked on the sugary promise of a new day. 

Please go pick the book up or put it on hold at your library in order to have it for April.

Spoiler Alert Tuesday

Aw, crap. I just realized that we are supposed to be telling you all next month's book pick. Like, yesterday.

Oh well, I think we have one, we just have to post on it, so be looking for it.

Anyway, what to talk about this week?

Are you all done with the book, already?

I'm still laughing at her jaunt down to pick up the marathon info for her friend. Fat girl surrounded by lots of skinny marathoners...you do the math. It was hilarious!

So, what do you all like so far?

Spoiler Alert Tuesday

Ladies. Ladies, ladies ladies!

This is going to be such a hard book to do Spoiler Alerts on.

I can't ask you what you think of this author's motives because she pretty much puts it all on the line.

This feels like a book that we all need to get together and drink some coffee and dish about.

And who wouldn't love it if she came? Jen Lancaster seems like the kind of woman who would love to sit and have coffee and make fun of everyone else.

How awesome would that be?!

So.

We just want to know: What's your favorite part so far?

I'll leave mine in the comments so nobody sees it and it takes the funny out of it before they get to that part in the book.

But I do have to say: She adopted an ugly pit bull with an underbite and named her Maisy. Gah!

Let us know what you think so far!

Interview with a Girlfriend

Today our interview is with the lovely obladi oblada from the blog From 0 to 3 in 90 days.

You have to check her out, she is such a nice blogger with many posts that reflect both her professional and family life.

Tell us what is your favorite genre of books:

I like a lot of different genres so it is hard to pick a favorite. I love fiction, and non fiction both. I am not big on science fiction or romance; those are two that I seldom read. I love memoirs, true crime, and horror as well as stories about people in general and their struggles. I’m not big into historical fiction either although they are not out of the question.

Who is your favorite author:

I love Stephen King of course and he is one of my all time favorites, as is Shirley Jackson for both her hysterical tales of her children and her disturbing subtle horror tales, like “the lottery” and “we have always lived in the castle”. She also dabbled in children’s books a little and one of hers is a favorite of my family’s called “9 magic wishes”. I also like Wally Lamb and Augusten Burroughs. I like the humorous Sue Townsend “Adriaan Mole” series. There are so many great books out there and great authors that Im finding it hard to answer this question! I am sure I’m forgetting someone that I love, oh like Pat Conroy (I think that’s his name, the author of Prince of Tides and the Great Santini).

What do you think of the movies that are based on books:

Ugh. I don’t think I can think of one single movie based on a book where the movie is better. I am always somewhat disappointed in Hollywood’s version of things. Even though this is the case, I cannot stop myself from going to a movie based on a book that I read. Kind of like watching a train wreck or some other tragedy unfold.

What book have you read that has stuck with you the most:

Many books have stuck with me, so this will be another long answer. To name a few, “Bag of Bones” by Stephen King, “We have always lived in the Castle” by Shirley Jackson, “Blackbird” by Jennifer Lauck, “I know this much is true” by Wally Lamb, “Catcher in the Rye” by JD Salinger, “When Rabbit Howls” (cant remember author though), “Sybil”, “To kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, and “Glass Castle” by Jeanette Walls.

Now, tell us about your blog. What do you think might set it apart from others and why should we love you:

What?! Girls, she didn't answer this one...was it an "accidental oversight" or a technical error? Or possibly, it's just hard to sell yourself. I know. I totally understand.

So let me sell ya for you. That sounded weird.

Okay, so this sweet blogger is funny, compassionate and quirky. The name of her blog refers to the fact that she and her husband adopted 3 older children at once.

I don't know about you, but most people only want the babies. We need people like obladi oblada (i don't know if she wants me to use her real name so i'm gonna go undercover here) to take in these older children! Adoption is a very important thing to my husband and I as both he and his sister were adopted.

And that's my soapbox. I could go on and on and on, but I won't.

Go visit her! She does posts that are quirky, funny, and show her great love for her children. And she also makes fun of her boss, GICOE. If ya wanna know who GICOE is, go read her blog!

Thank you obladi oblada!!

***Remember, we're always looking for new interviews, so if you want to be featured, send us an e-mail with your interview and picture. Just answer the above questions and that's it. It's easy! Promise.***

Spoiler Alert Tuesday

I don't think there are going to be many spoilers in this post, because I just started reading the book last night! Have you all started reading it? What do you think so far?

In the first chapter she is at a work function and the snarky comments she has running through her head, unfortunately, are kinda similar to the things that run through my head at times.

Not all the time, but, yes, sometimes. Like when I'm at Walmart, for example!

I'm wondering if she's always like this...I guess as we make our way through the book we will know whether she is ever going to be nice or not. Which cracks me up. And I think she's pretty brave to put her snarky self out there, cuz that's something that will not win you friends in the real world, most of the time.

Let us know what you think so far, in the comments!

**Be sure to check back tomorrow for a new Interview with a Girlfriend!!**

Spoiler Alert Tuesday

I'm gonna throw a lot of stuff at ya today, since it's the last day for our Dear John Spoilers!

Are ya ready??

Okay...

Spoilers Below!!

Do you think that John and his dad were able to make peace with each other before John's

dad passed away?

What do you suppose made John decide not to take advantage of Savannah when he came back to to see her and Tim was in the hospital? Do you think Savannah and Tim were meant for each other or it was more that Savannah was tired of waiting for John?

Do you think Savannah loved Tim as much as she loved John; or was she willing to sleep with John when Tim was in the hospital because she was so worried and confused about the situation with Tim's health?

Do you think these questions are just plain stupid?

Ha!

Don't answer that. Cuz I already know they were dorky. I just wanted to see if you were paying attention.

Don't forget to vote on our poll to the right and get ready to start Bitter is the New Black this coming Tuesday!

Announcement

We're a little late on announcing March's book pick, but you should still have plenty of time to get the book.

I've wanted to start reading this author for a while now, I have heard all kinds of good things about her and how funny her writing is.

After I picked the stink bomb that was November's pick, I have been gun shy. I made Jessica pick February's book because I'm a wuss.

And this time is no exception; thanks to Shortmama for letting me pick your brain!

Without any further rambling, here is March's book pick!

Bitter is the New Black by: Jen Lancaster

From Amazon.com:

Jen Lancaster was living the sweet life-until real life kicked her to the curb.

She had the perfect man, the perfect job-hell, she had the perfect life-and there was no reason to think it wouldn't last. Or maybe there was, but Jen Lancaster was too busy being manicured, pedicured, highlighted, and generally adored to notice.
This is the smart-mouthed, soul-searching story of a woman trying to figure out what happens next when she's gone from six figures to unemployment checks and she stops to reconsider some of the less-than-rosy attitudes and values she thought she'd never have to answer for when times were good.
Filled with caustic wit and unusual insight, it's a rollicking read as speedy and unpredictable as the trajectory of a burst balloon.

We are so excited and hear good things about this one, so please feel free to click on the link above to visit Amazon's page where you can purchase it!

Spoiler Alert Tuesday

So what you guys think of the book so far?

I think I told you all that once I started reading it I couldn't put it down.

It's a short month, so we're gonna try to cover a lot of material in our Spoiler Alerts.

Spoilers Below!!

John and Savannah come together during the time of John's military enlistment.

When he comes back to visit her during his breif "vacations" from duty, the relationship is pretty charged.

Do you think the fact that they seem to be on "borrowed time" helps to intensify their relationship?

Why do you think John ultimately re-ups his time in the military after 9/11?

Is it because he was feeling as patriotic as they all seemed to be after the tragedy, or do you think there's something else there?

Do you think that is the time that Savannah sort of loses the momentum of the relationship and, for lack of a better term, gives up on it?

**Stay tuned for an announcement on next month's book pick!!**

Interview With A Girlfriend

I'm so excited to have an interview!! Have you all noticed that we've not had one for months?

This week's interview is with Mrs. Montoya from One Foot in Front of the Other.

Mrs. Montoya is the perfect answer to "Can a woman have it all?" And that answer is: YES!

She is a mom who loves her kids more than life and has a wonderful husband and a career that she successfully manages all at once!

Tell us what is your favorite genre of books:

 I prefer fiction and mysteries, mostly about politics or legal thrillers. I don't do scary, but I love suspense and elaborate political dramas. I'd really like to read some biographies, but quite honestly need pictures or some sort of scandal to hold my attention. I've really enjoyed Reading with Girlfriends because of the exposure to other authors and genres that I might not select on my own. I loved the 2009 picks Emma & Me and The Help and probably wouldn't have branched out to those on my own.

Who is your favorite author:

This question makes me think of who I walk straight to when I am buying a new book and I mostly love James Patterson, John Grisham and David Baldacci. Their content almost always gives me what I like. My stepmom is a more sophisticated reader than I am and she shared some authors with me recently that I am really loving - Diane Chamberlain and Pamela Morsi. I never lend enough credibility to authors when I like a book - I always think it's just because I like that particular book. I am finicky about everything, including reading and generally won't seek out a book just because it's a new release by an author I've enjoyed. I will read absolutely anything (besides scary) and more often that not I choose a book because I like it's cover. That's so shallow, I know - but it's true. 

What do you think of the movies that are based on books:

The only experience with this that I can think of is Grisham books that were made into movies. I liked the movies and I liked the books, but I almost don't relate the two. My favorite thing about reading is that the story allows me to create my ideal of the characters and their homes and everything else about the story. All too often, the romance of that is taken away in a movie leaving me disappointed that it didn't live up to the landscape I had created in my own mind.

What book have you read that has stuck with you the most:

The Call of the Wild, by Jack London. I've loved reading since I was a child and my Dad gave me this book when I was in elementary school. I was a little terrified of how cold it was in the story and how cruel nature could be, but was so honored that he had given me such a grown up book. I have always cherished that story and how it made me feel to read something a little beyond me. I'm really looking forward to sharing it with my son.

Now, tell us about your blog. What do you think might set it apart from others and why should

we love you:

There is not one single thing that sets me apart from other blogs outside of the fact that I am not very good at it. When I have some extra time on my hands I like to pretend that it's my segway into being a professional writer. I love to write almost as much as I love to read and like to believe that I am a literary genius on the verge of sharing my gift with the world. But here in real life, I haven't had too much time on my hands lately so it's just a random hodgepodge of my life as a working Mom trying to get it all right. I have not so interesting opinions on raising children, current events and how much I want to be a better person. You should love me because my children are darling and I am so imperfect that you will immediately feel better about yourself.

Aw, Mrs. Montoya, we love you!! Thank you for doing our interview!

Please go visit Mrs. Montoya at One Foot in Front of the Other.

**If anyone else would like to send us an interview, just answer the above questions and send em to readwithgirlfriends.blogspot.com.**

Spoiler Alert Tuesday

This is our first Spoiler Alert on Dear John, our February pick!

I loved this book. It was hard to put down once I started it.

Getting right to it...

Spoilers Below!!

There's a lot of history and explanation of John's relationship with his father, or lack thereof.

Do you think there's something behind this, perhaps something more to the dynamic then just a teenage son and his father trying to get along?

Does this relationship have any effect on John's almost instant attraction to Savannah?

**Note - remember that wacky little thing we used to do on Wednesday where we would post an interview with one of our readers and a link to their blogs? Would anyone be interested in starting that up again? Shoot us an email at readwithgirlfriends@yahoo.com and let us know.**

Spoiler Alert Tuesday/Winner

It's already February, which means we are starting our new book, Dear John.

Since it's the beginning of the month, we wanted to make sure we did a wrap-up on Have a Little Faith.

Spoiler Below!!

The book's overall message was that every person, no matter what religion or beliefs they hold, find comfort in knowing there is a higher power.

Do you agree with this assertion?

Does it matter what faith you hold, as long as you do, in fact, have faith?

Winner!!

 Random.org  provided the winner and

the winner is:

Number 1

Spoiler Alert Tuesday/Giveaway

I promised we'd be back soon with some giveaways, so here is the first one of 2010!

2 spools of craft ribbon, a mini recycle  bag and a card making kit. The kit includes all of the embellishments and card making stuff for 4 cards.

As usual, all you need to do is comment to win.

Spoilers Below!!

Why is the author so hesitant to help the Christian pastor out? Is it because of his reckless  past or do you believe he mistrusts the pastor because of his Christian faith?

What do you think ultimately led to Mr. Albom's "leap of faith", as it were, when deciding to help the pastor and his church community out?

Don't forget we posted next month's book pick last week!

Announcement

We just wanted to let you know about next month's book pick so you can hopefully have it in time.

Part of the reason we are going with this book is because it's now a movie and I believe is coming out soon, or possibly may have already been released. We all know the book is usually better than the movie, so don't go see it until you've read it! This way you can be sadly disappointed that you wasted the money on seeing a dumb movie that didn't live up to the book. And, if you're like me, you'll be doubly sad that even though you knew the movie would suck, you still went to see it.

February's book is:

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

From Publishers Weekly:

Hot on the heels of True Believer and sequel At First Sight, Sparks returns with the story of ne'er-do-well-turned-army-enlistee John Tyree, 23, and well-to-do University of North Carolina special education major Savannah Lynn Curtis. John, who narrates, has been raised by a socially backward single postal-worker dad obsessed with coin collecting (he has Asperger's syndrome). John bypasses college for the overseas infantry; Savannah spends her college summers volunteering. When they meet, he's on leave, and she's working with Habitat for Humanity (he rescues her sinking purse at the beach). John has a history of one-night stands; Savannah's a virgin. He's an on-and-off drinker; she's a teetotaler. Attraction and values conflict the rest of the summer, but the deal does not close. Savannah longs for John to come home; her friend Tim longs to have a relationship with her. On the brink of John and Savannah's finally getting together, 9/11 happens, and John re-ups. Savannah's letters come less and less frequently, and before you know it, he receives the expected "Dear John" letter. Sparks's novel brims with longing.

We had a lot of positive feedback from our prior Nicholas Sparks book, so we felt it was safe to go with another. Also, the reality of so many men and women in the military and overseas right now makes it more relevant.

I promise (pinky swear) that new giveaways will be up soon.

Go get the book and join in for next month's read!

Click on the book to visit Amazon's page for Dear John.

Spoiler Alert Tuesday

What do you think of the book so far? I really enjoyed it; finished it in a couple days.

We will be doing more giveaways, so if you're here for that, please hold the thought! We actually have some stuff, however I'm too lazy busy to take a decent picture and

post it right now.

Spoilers Below!!

The author really starts to get to know his Rabbi on a personal level throughout the book. He no longer sees him as the unapproachable "Man of God" that he once did.

Do you have people in your life who you saw as unapproachable or saw them in a different light, only to get to know them and see that they are just as human as you?

Do you think that since the author started to see his Rabbi as a normal person that it helped him to get back in touch with his faith?

Spoiler Alert Tuesday/Giveaway

So, friends, what do you think of Have A Little Faith so far??

I started reading it this weekend and I had to make myself put it down so that I wouldn't finish it before our first Spoiler Alert Tuesday!

Spoilers Below!!

Have you ever been, or are you now, at a point in your life where you distance yourself from religion or God?

Why do you think Mitch Albom walked away from the faith his parents had tried to instill in him after he left home?

By the way: if you don't have the book yet, go visit Maven at A Fabulously Good Life for your chance to win it! The deets are on her side bar.

New Month, New Book!

Uh...woops! I forgot to let everyone in on the January book pick!

It may have something to do with the fact that we just picked it, but I can not confirm nor deny that.

Are you ready??

I promise, this one is way beyond better than the last one. I still feel bad about that. I did the worst thing ever when I picked that one up. I judged the book by it's cover. Wince. Cringe. I know.

Okay, without further ado:

Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom/Click the book to go to Amazon's page.

Synopsis from Amazon.com.

What if our beliefs were not what divided us, but what pulled us together?
In Have a Little Faith, Mitch Albom offers a beautifully written story of a remarkable eight-year journey between two worlds--two men, two faiths, two communities--that will inspire readers everywhere.
Albom's first nonfiction book since Tuesdays with Morrie, Have a Little Faith begins with an unusual request: an eighty-two-year-old rabbi from Albom's old hometown asks him to deliver his eulogy.
Feeling unworthy, Albom insists on understanding the man better, which throws him back into a world of faith he'd left years ago. Meanwhile, closer to his current home, Albom becomes involved with a Detroit pastor--a reformed drug dealer and convict--who preaches to the poor and homeless in a decaying church with a hole in its roof.
Moving between their worlds, Christian and Jewish, African-American and white, impoverished and well-to-do, Albom observes how these very different men employ faith similarly in fighting for survival: the older, suburban rabbi embracing it as death approaches; the younger, inner-city pastor relying on it to keep himself and his church afloat.
As America struggles with hard times and people turn more to their beliefs, Albom and the two men of God explore issues that perplex modern man: how to endure when difficult things happen; what heaven is; intermarriage; forgiveness; doubting God; and the importance of faith in trying times. Although the texts, prayers, and histories are different, Albom begins to recognize a striking unity between the two worlds--and indeed, between beliefs everywhere.
In the end, as the rabbi nears death and a harsh winter threatens the pastor's wobbly church, Albom sadly fulfills the rabbi's last request and writes the eulogy. And he finally understands what both men had been teaching all along: the profound comfort of believing in something bigger than yourself.
Have a Little Faith is a book about a life's purpose; about losing belief and finding it again; about the divine spark inside us all. It is one man's journey, but it is everyone's story.
Ten percent of the profits from this book will go to charity, including The Hole In The Roof Foundation, which helps refurbish places of worship that aid the homeless.

Click on the picture of the book to go to Amazon if you would like to purchase this book. My mom recently bought it for 11 dollars from Amazon; regular price is 25.

Or put a hold on it at your local library. It's pretty popular!