I recently did a review on Getting to Happy by Terry McMillan which is the sequel to Waiting to Exhale. Click here to check it out!
Showing posts with label Book Club. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book Club. Show all posts
Friday, June 17, 2011
Getting to Happy
I recently did a review on Getting to Happy by Terry McMillan which is the sequel to Waiting to Exhale. Click here to check it out!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Calling all Book Clubs!
Last month I participated in a Book Club on Becky Kiser's blog and it was so much fun! This month, we are reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, which I have never read, so I am really excited about it. I just wanted to encourage anyone that might be in a slump with their reading to make sure and check her blog out. She is a Houston girl, which to me makes this book club even better because I can feel like I really "know" her since we go to the same church, even if I don't talk to her on a regular basis (or actually I've only spoken to her once!)
So check out The Kisers to join the Book Club. It starts today, but you have a few days to still get your book if you don't have it already!
Friday, January 7, 2011
Reading in 2011
Don't forget about the Jimmy Dean D'Light Giveaway for a $100 Visa Card.
For 2 years I kept track of the books that I was reading and last year I kindof fell behind on that. So this year I am going to use the blog to help me remember what I was going to read next. Here is my plan so far:
The Hunger Game Series
I have read the first one so far and am halfway done with the second and I can not put them down!Friendships for Grown-ups
I have wanted to read this for a while, so I finally bought it. Can't wait to read it.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
I am going to try this series out. If I like it, then I will read all 3 books. If not, then not going to waste my time. Has anyone read this series? Is it good, or should I just take it off my list?
Anyone have any suggestions for other books I should put on my list for the year? If I really like the book I can usually read it in about 2 weeks, so I could read 2 a month. However, sometimes it takes me longer.
And my blog friend, Becky, just posted today that she is going to do a book club this year. I am still going to try really hard to read these books because I have really been wanting to, but I am soooo excited about this book club with other Houston girls. I hope we meet at least once just so we can all meet eachother!
Monday, September 13, 2010
Chapters 50-71: The Secret Life of Cee-Cee Wilkes
Okay, this book ended a little abruptly for me. I don't know why, but I thought it could have been drawn out a little bit. It was like she got arrested and then just all of a sudden given 1 year jail time. Then her meeting with Tim was like a page or something. I just thought it could have taken a little longer in the end. Also, after I answer the question, I am going to tell how I thought it should have ended. Maybe next time Diane Chamberlain will come to me with writing advice on how she should do her book. Just kidding! I really did love the book, I just thought of another ending and my sister Kristen thought it was a pretty good one!
1. At the end we find out Tim was sending Cory money because he thought she could be his daughter since he was having an affair with Genevieve. Did you see this coming?
I definately did not see this one coming. I thought all along that it was Tim (except for at one point in the story that I will explain later) that was sending her the money, but I just thought it was because he felt sorry for what he had done and that he knew Cee-Cee (Eve) had the baby with her and he needed to help some.
2. By the end of the story, what were your feelings about Eve? How had they changed since the beginning?
I thought what she did was very brave. I liked that she actually came forward and told what had happened so that Tim didn't get sentenced to death.
3. Were you happy with the way President Russel treated Cory?
I kindof was not happy with the way that he treated her. Yes, she was his daughter but he expected her to just hate her "mother". This is who had raised her, and I even though she was the one that had taken Cory away, she was also the one that had saved her instead of leaving her to die. He should have showed a little compassion (which I guess he did by getting her only 1 year jail time). However, I think it was unfair of him to just expect Cory to become his daughter right away when she had not known him her whole life.
4. If you were in Cory's shoes and had just found out all of this about the woman who raised you and who you believed to be your mother, how would you react? Would you forgive?
I think I would be hysterical and distraught and I don't know what else. That is something huge to have to imagine. I have to believe though, that I would still love my mom and I would forgive her for what she had done. If she had actually cared for me and loved me like Cee-Cee (Eve) did to Cory, then yes, I would forgive her.
5. In your mind, how does this story end? Do they all live happily ever after? Does Cory go on having relationships with her old family and her new family?
Like I said before, I think it ended abruptly. However, I think they do all live happily ever after in a sense. I think that Cory has a relationship with each of the families, though probably she leans more towards Eve and Jack just because that is who she has grown up with. I think that she will lean towards President Russell for money, but not so much emotional support. I think Dru will still be her lifeline.
6. How do you think Cory has changed throughout the story? Have your feelings about her changed?
I kindof think that Cory was a spoiled brat. Yes, she did have problems, but I don't think it was right of her to just cut Eve out like she did (before she found out about the kidnapping). I think that her fiance had a definate hold on her and it was the right thing to do to cut him out of her life. I hope that she starts to come to her senses more and talk more with her mom.
Now to how I think the story should have ended:
Back when President Russell started giving Cory money, I all of a sudden had a thought that maybe it was him that was mailing Eve money all of these years. I thought that maybe he had been behind the kidnapping the whole time. Maybe he knew that Cory was not his (or had wanted Genevieve dead for some other reason) and to maintain his reputation as governor he paid Tim and Marty to kidnap Genevieve. Then he sent money to Tim and to Eve all of these years to keep them quiet. Now don't you think that is more interesting! Ha, I am such a great writer, huh?
1. At the end we find out Tim was sending Cory money because he thought she could be his daughter since he was having an affair with Genevieve. Did you see this coming?
I definately did not see this one coming. I thought all along that it was Tim (except for at one point in the story that I will explain later) that was sending her the money, but I just thought it was because he felt sorry for what he had done and that he knew Cee-Cee (Eve) had the baby with her and he needed to help some.
2. By the end of the story, what were your feelings about Eve? How had they changed since the beginning?
I thought what she did was very brave. I liked that she actually came forward and told what had happened so that Tim didn't get sentenced to death.
3. Were you happy with the way President Russel treated Cory?
I kindof was not happy with the way that he treated her. Yes, she was his daughter but he expected her to just hate her "mother". This is who had raised her, and I even though she was the one that had taken Cory away, she was also the one that had saved her instead of leaving her to die. He should have showed a little compassion (which I guess he did by getting her only 1 year jail time). However, I think it was unfair of him to just expect Cory to become his daughter right away when she had not known him her whole life.
4. If you were in Cory's shoes and had just found out all of this about the woman who raised you and who you believed to be your mother, how would you react? Would you forgive?
I think I would be hysterical and distraught and I don't know what else. That is something huge to have to imagine. I have to believe though, that I would still love my mom and I would forgive her for what she had done. If she had actually cared for me and loved me like Cee-Cee (Eve) did to Cory, then yes, I would forgive her.
5. In your mind, how does this story end? Do they all live happily ever after? Does Cory go on having relationships with her old family and her new family?
Like I said before, I think it ended abruptly. However, I think they do all live happily ever after in a sense. I think that Cory has a relationship with each of the families, though probably she leans more towards Eve and Jack just because that is who she has grown up with. I think that she will lean towards President Russell for money, but not so much emotional support. I think Dru will still be her lifeline.
6. How do you think Cory has changed throughout the story? Have your feelings about her changed?
I kindof think that Cory was a spoiled brat. Yes, she did have problems, but I don't think it was right of her to just cut Eve out like she did (before she found out about the kidnapping). I think that her fiance had a definate hold on her and it was the right thing to do to cut him out of her life. I hope that she starts to come to her senses more and talk more with her mom.
Now to how I think the story should have ended:
Back when President Russell started giving Cory money, I all of a sudden had a thought that maybe it was him that was mailing Eve money all of these years. I thought that maybe he had been behind the kidnapping the whole time. Maybe he knew that Cory was not his (or had wanted Genevieve dead for some other reason) and to maintain his reputation as governor he paid Tim and Marty to kidnap Genevieve. Then he sent money to Tim and to Eve all of these years to keep them quiet. Now don't you think that is more interesting! Ha, I am such a great writer, huh?
Monday, August 30, 2010
Chapters 21-35
1. Do you think Tim is the one sending the money?
That has been my thought the whole time, but now that I am thinking about it maybe it is Naomi. It is someone from SCRAPE because otherwise there is no way of knowing where she is. But I think the mostly likey "suspect" is Tim because he is probably moving around.
2. So far, there's been a lot of discussion on CeeCee/Eve and her choices. What choice(s) would you make differently from her?
I think at this point I would do the same thing that CeeCee/Eve is doing. She is making a life for herself and the baby. I think she has to lie or else she will be sent to prison. So if I had made it this far and had made the choice to keep the baby, then I think I would keep up the lies to protect myself and her.
3. What do you like about Jack? Are there things about him that you don't like?
I like Jack a lot. I think that he is a great father and a wonderful husband. I like that he tries to get Cory to come out of her shell and he thinks Eve is protecting her too much. It makes me wonder what he is going to think when he finds out later on the whole reason Eve has been protecting her.
4. What are the differences between CeeCee/Eve's relationship with Tim and Eve's relationship with Jack?
She definately takes things a lot slower with Jack than she did with Tim. She doesn't just fall for anything that he says and she seems to have true love this time, not just teenage puppy love. I think it is a sweet romance and it seems like they wait several years before they marry, which if she had stayed with Tim and he had proposed I feel like they would have married in a matter of months.
5. Do you think Eve is to blame for Cory's fears? What could she do, specifically, to help Cory feel like less of an outsider?
I do think that Eve is to blame for Cory's fears because of the way that she has protected her and sheltered her since she was tiny. However, I wonder whether subconsiously Cory know something bad happened to her at birth and so her mind is trying to protect itself. I have heard of that happening before and it just makes me wonder if this is what the author is trying to do because even though Eve shelters her I don't think it was overabundantly.
6. Do you think Eve appropriately answered Cory's questions about her father? Do you think Cory will question her father more as she grows older?
If I was living a life of lies, then yes, I think that she answered Cory's answers appropriately. She knows her father is out of her life and for her protection she needs to believe that he is completely out so that she does not try to contact him. I didn't like how Eve called all the Smith's in Portland though, that was a little weird. I think that Cory will definately try and contact his family when she gets older.
For some reason this part of the book was not very exciting to me. I think it was absolutely important to put it in there, but it just wasn't as exciting. I can't wait to read next week and see how it ends!
That has been my thought the whole time, but now that I am thinking about it maybe it is Naomi. It is someone from SCRAPE because otherwise there is no way of knowing where she is. But I think the mostly likey "suspect" is Tim because he is probably moving around.
2. So far, there's been a lot of discussion on CeeCee/Eve and her choices. What choice(s) would you make differently from her?
I think at this point I would do the same thing that CeeCee/Eve is doing. She is making a life for herself and the baby. I think she has to lie or else she will be sent to prison. So if I had made it this far and had made the choice to keep the baby, then I think I would keep up the lies to protect myself and her.
3. What do you like about Jack? Are there things about him that you don't like?
I like Jack a lot. I think that he is a great father and a wonderful husband. I like that he tries to get Cory to come out of her shell and he thinks Eve is protecting her too much. It makes me wonder what he is going to think when he finds out later on the whole reason Eve has been protecting her.
4. What are the differences between CeeCee/Eve's relationship with Tim and Eve's relationship with Jack?
She definately takes things a lot slower with Jack than she did with Tim. She doesn't just fall for anything that he says and she seems to have true love this time, not just teenage puppy love. I think it is a sweet romance and it seems like they wait several years before they marry, which if she had stayed with Tim and he had proposed I feel like they would have married in a matter of months.
5. Do you think Eve is to blame for Cory's fears? What could she do, specifically, to help Cory feel like less of an outsider?
I do think that Eve is to blame for Cory's fears because of the way that she has protected her and sheltered her since she was tiny. However, I wonder whether subconsiously Cory know something bad happened to her at birth and so her mind is trying to protect itself. I have heard of that happening before and it just makes me wonder if this is what the author is trying to do because even though Eve shelters her I don't think it was overabundantly.
6. Do you think Eve appropriately answered Cory's questions about her father? Do you think Cory will question her father more as she grows older?
If I was living a life of lies, then yes, I think that she answered Cory's answers appropriately. She knows her father is out of her life and for her protection she needs to believe that he is completely out so that she does not try to contact him. I didn't like how Eve called all the Smith's in Portland though, that was a little weird. I think that Cory will definately try and contact his family when she gets older.
For some reason this part of the book was not very exciting to me. I think it was absolutely important to put it in there, but it just wasn't as exciting. I can't wait to read next week and see how it ends!
Monday, August 23, 2010
Chapters 11-20
As part of the Book Beginnings and Bookends blog, here are my answers for Chapters 11-20 of The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes
1. Where do you think Tim and Marty are at this point in the story?
I think that at this time in the story, Tim and Marty have hightailed it somewhere in hiding. I don't think that Tim has a dream of coming back to CeeCee likes she does to him and he could care less what has happened to him. I figure he is just focused on himself and Marty at this point and trying to make sure that they don't get caught.
2. What were your thoughts as CeeCee was helping Genevieve deliver her baby?
As she was helping deliver the baby I was thinking about when I had my babies and how I am so glad that it was not on a bed like that! Other than that, I was thinking that CeeCee was really brave to stick it out and not go running out of there screaming. She became a woman in that moment and let her woman instincts show. I think as a woman there is no way I could have left another woman to fend for herself. There is just something about childbirth that brings you together!
3. After Genevieve died, what would you have done with her baby if you had been in CeeCee's shoes?
I would have done the exact same thing that CeeCee did. Like I said in the previous question, her "woman instincts" kicked in and there was no way she could have left that child behind. I would have never left a child in a cabin by itself even if I could have called for help. I would have been afraid that something could have happened to the baby before help could have gotten there.
4. Why do you think CeeCee/Eve is still holding onto hope that Tim will come for her?
I think it goes back to how naive she is and the fact that she is only 16. As a teenager we all want someone to love us and have this naiveness about ourselves where we think that this person is our 1 true love. She can't imagine that he would lie to her and not come back to get her.
5. How do you think Eve will establish her new identity in Virginia?
I think that she will go to work at a diner in Virginia and work her way to better paying positions at restaurants. Eventually I believe that she will marry someone to help raise the baby.
6. What do you think of CeeCee/Eve now after she has gone through with the kidnapping, the delivery of the baby, the escape, and the relocation?
I am very proud of her, though still a little angry with her for going about the whole thing. But in a way it was good that she was there to help with the baby because if Tim and Marty had been the ones there, there is no way that baby would still be living. I think she has grown up really fast, and is going to grow up even more.
I can't wait to keep reading. I was actually good this week and stopped exactly where we were supposed to. I also can't wait to read everyone else's responses!
1. Where do you think Tim and Marty are at this point in the story?
I think that at this time in the story, Tim and Marty have hightailed it somewhere in hiding. I don't think that Tim has a dream of coming back to CeeCee likes she does to him and he could care less what has happened to him. I figure he is just focused on himself and Marty at this point and trying to make sure that they don't get caught.
2. What were your thoughts as CeeCee was helping Genevieve deliver her baby?
As she was helping deliver the baby I was thinking about when I had my babies and how I am so glad that it was not on a bed like that! Other than that, I was thinking that CeeCee was really brave to stick it out and not go running out of there screaming. She became a woman in that moment and let her woman instincts show. I think as a woman there is no way I could have left another woman to fend for herself. There is just something about childbirth that brings you together!
3. After Genevieve died, what would you have done with her baby if you had been in CeeCee's shoes?
I would have done the exact same thing that CeeCee did. Like I said in the previous question, her "woman instincts" kicked in and there was no way she could have left that child behind. I would have never left a child in a cabin by itself even if I could have called for help. I would have been afraid that something could have happened to the baby before help could have gotten there.
4. Why do you think CeeCee/Eve is still holding onto hope that Tim will come for her?
I think it goes back to how naive she is and the fact that she is only 16. As a teenager we all want someone to love us and have this naiveness about ourselves where we think that this person is our 1 true love. She can't imagine that he would lie to her and not come back to get her.
5. How do you think Eve will establish her new identity in Virginia?
I think that she will go to work at a diner in Virginia and work her way to better paying positions at restaurants. Eventually I believe that she will marry someone to help raise the baby.
6. What do you think of CeeCee/Eve now after she has gone through with the kidnapping, the delivery of the baby, the escape, and the relocation?
I am very proud of her, though still a little angry with her for going about the whole thing. But in a way it was good that she was there to help with the baby because if Tim and Marty had been the ones there, there is no way that baby would still be living. I think she has grown up really fast, and is going to grow up even more.
I can't wait to keep reading. I was actually good this week and stopped exactly where we were supposed to. I also can't wait to read everyone else's responses!
Monday, August 16, 2010
The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes
About a month ago, I saw on Blue Eyed Bride that she was going to do a book club. I have always wanted to be apart of a book club, and this book looked really, really good, so I decided to go with it. Kristen is joining me and neither one of us can put the book down. It is The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain and it is very good. If you like Jodi Picoult she is a lot like her in the writing. I have never heard of her, but I am now on a mission to read all of her books!!! So, here are the discussion questions from week 1:
1. What was your first impression of Tim?
At first I thought he was a nice guy and then I started wondering why in the world he would be wanting to date a 16 year old. Then in the book it said something about CeeCee telling the truth, but that Tim would not in the end and I started to hate him right there.
2. If you were in CeeCee’s position, would you be willing to help your boyfriend in the way that she is willing to help Tim?
I definately would not help Tim in the way CeeCee is helping him. I would never do anything that would put me in prison which is exactly what she is doing. She is very naive and just wanting to please him so that she won't "lose" him.
3. Why do you think CeeCee is so eager to please Tim?
I think she is so eager to please Tim because this is her very first boyfriend and she would do anything to make him happy. She is probably afraid of losing him just like she lost her mother, and she is going to do whatever she can to try and keep him around even if it means breaking the law.
4. Who do you think has it harder? Tim or CeeCee?
I definately think that CeeCee has it harder. She has pretty much been on her own since she was a preteen, while Tim has only been on his own the last few years and he is now 22. Tim was also handed money from his father and handed a house by his father, however CeeCee is having to work at a diner and live with a roommate to try and make ends meet.
5. What character trait(s) about CeeCee stuck out the most to you in these first ten chapters?
I think that CeeCee's naiveness (is that a word?) and her loyalty stuck out to me. First her being naive because she was willing to do whatever to make it work with Tim, even though I could see right through the fact that he would never stay with her. He is merely using her to get what he wants with the kidnapping. However, CeeCee is loyal through the end. It makes me sad that she is throwing her life away to help him be a jerk!
6. Do you think CeeCee is as mature as she seems?
In some ways I think that CeeCee is mature, however she is still a little girl in the way that she is willing to take part in the kidnapping to try and keep Tim. I don't think she really understands the severity of what she is about to do with the governor's wife. She just thinks it is going to be okay and then she and Tim will run off together. However, she is in for a big surprise!
I kept reading on through Chapter 14, but I finally made myself stop. Now I can keep reading and I am going to start again tonight!!!
1. What was your first impression of Tim?
At first I thought he was a nice guy and then I started wondering why in the world he would be wanting to date a 16 year old. Then in the book it said something about CeeCee telling the truth, but that Tim would not in the end and I started to hate him right there.
2. If you were in CeeCee’s position, would you be willing to help your boyfriend in the way that she is willing to help Tim?
I definately would not help Tim in the way CeeCee is helping him. I would never do anything that would put me in prison which is exactly what she is doing. She is very naive and just wanting to please him so that she won't "lose" him.
3. Why do you think CeeCee is so eager to please Tim?
I think she is so eager to please Tim because this is her very first boyfriend and she would do anything to make him happy. She is probably afraid of losing him just like she lost her mother, and she is going to do whatever she can to try and keep him around even if it means breaking the law.
4. Who do you think has it harder? Tim or CeeCee?
I definately think that CeeCee has it harder. She has pretty much been on her own since she was a preteen, while Tim has only been on his own the last few years and he is now 22. Tim was also handed money from his father and handed a house by his father, however CeeCee is having to work at a diner and live with a roommate to try and make ends meet.
5. What character trait(s) about CeeCee stuck out the most to you in these first ten chapters?
I think that CeeCee's naiveness (is that a word?) and her loyalty stuck out to me. First her being naive because she was willing to do whatever to make it work with Tim, even though I could see right through the fact that he would never stay with her. He is merely using her to get what he wants with the kidnapping. However, CeeCee is loyal through the end. It makes me sad that she is throwing her life away to help him be a jerk!
6. Do you think CeeCee is as mature as she seems?
In some ways I think that CeeCee is mature, however she is still a little girl in the way that she is willing to take part in the kidnapping to try and keep Tim. I don't think she really understands the severity of what she is about to do with the governor's wife. She just thinks it is going to be okay and then she and Tim will run off together. However, she is in for a big surprise!
I kept reading on through Chapter 14, but I finally made myself stop. Now I can keep reading and I am going to start again tonight!!!
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