A Redbird Christmas

by Fannie Flagg

This month was a light read since we are all so busy at holiday time. A Redbird Christmas was a delightful novel to inspire some Christmas spirit. We all enjoyed it.

We met at the Village Inn in Bountiful and savored some yummy comfort food.

Half Broke Horses

     

by Jeannette Walls

This month we read Jeannette Walls' novel that she loosely based on the life of her grandmother, Half Broke Horses. Most of us really enjoyed the book and found it very entertaining. We thought it was more upbeat than Glass Castles. We liked the first-person perspective of the story and thought Walls made the right decision to make it a novel and use the first person instead of writing a more serious biography of her grandmother.

We met at Sizzler in Bountiful for a steak-and-salad meal which we enjoyed but found to be a bit salty. We don't usually splurge for dessert but at Sizzler its included with the meal so we indulged in some yummy brownies and ice cream.

The Fairy Godmother

     

by Mercedes Lackey

This month we read The Fairy Godmother by the prolific Mercedes Lackey. A combination of romantic fantasy and fairy tale, the plot hints at Cinderella with many unexpected twists and turns. A fun read.

We met at Granny Annie's in Bountiful for a diner-style meal that was quite tasty.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

     

by Rebecca Skloot

This month's book was a departure from our typical fiction book with the true story of Henrietta Lacks and her famous cells. We enjoyed the book and commented about how patient the author was with Henrietta's family. Her persistence paid off and the family eventually came to trust her which made her story even more interesting and authentic. The science of the cells and their replication was fascinating and the contribution to modern science is nothing short of incredible.

We met at Mikado in Bountiful for a delicious Japanese meal in our own private tatami room.

The Light Between Oceans

     

by M.L. Stedman

This month's book was a gripping tale of love and despair. Even though the book was full of sadness (we all admitted to some tears), it was a real page-turner since the resolution to the conflict was so unpredictable. Stedman is an amazing writer - we all agreed that her descriptions of Janus Rock were wonderful, we could really picture the island. We sympathized with both Isabel and Hannah, as well as the child, so even though we didn't agree with Isabel's decisions it was hard to find fault with her given her situation.

We met at Boba World in Bountiful for a delicious Chinese dinner. The food was amazing! We tried beef noodles, pineapple shrimp, sweet and sour chicken and sauteed green beans - all were wonderful! Two in our group tried the Boba drinks and both enjoyed them.

I've Got Your Number

     

by Sophie Kinsella

This month we read a fun, entertaining book written by the Shopaholic queen, Sophie Kinsella. We all enjoyed it but a few in our group thought the main character, Poppy, was a bit of a wimp and we couldn't understand why she didn't just stand up for herself. She seemed to be constantly mired in self-created turmoil. But overall it was a fun book to read.

Our restaurant this month was Iggy's Sports Grill in Centerville. Good food, good service, good company, what more do you need?

The Secret Keeper

     

by Kate Morton

This month's selection was The Secret Keeper, another book set in England which recounts the tale of two women whose lives were intertwined. Later in life, the daughter of one of the women tries to piece together the story as her mother approaches death. What she discovers in the end is an unexpected twist in the story that none of us expected. We all enjoyed the book and would definitely recommend it. The book prompted discussions about our own mothers (and mother-in-laws) and we digressed so much that we hardly discussed the book! 

One of our book club members generously invited us to her house for dinner this month. We enjoyed a delicious meal and had a peek at her beautiful home. We also got to meet a new baby brought by another member, a beautiful boy that we took turns holding while he chewed on our fingers :)