May's Pick - The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

  I can't believe it's been three months since I last posted. Rest assured, it hasn't been three months since I read. For some reason, I am really enjoying YA romance novels. "Slow Dance In Purgatory," by Amy Harmon, was especially good.

  

  

  Most of us have read this month's selection in high school, studied it's symbolism and metaphors. I'm picking The Great Gatsby to reread, this time just for fun. And, of course, to compare to the movie. I encourage everyone to read, watch, then comment below. What did you think of this movie version compared to the classic novel? Good adaptation? Or maybe it doesn't matter with Leonardo DiCaprio starring. 

February's Pick - Death Comes to Pemberly, by P.D. James

I am curious.

Can you do a sequel to one of the most beloved Jane Austin books successfully? I enjoyed the book. I enjoyed the movies even more. But a sequel? Death Comes to Pemberly has been on the New York Times bestseller list for weeks, so there are quite of few fans out there that say, yes! I can't wait to read about Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, their lives, their children, however, I reserve my vote till I finish the book. I'll let you know and I'd love to hear your opinion.

Amazon Book Description

Publication Date: December 6, 2011

A rare meeting of literary genius: P. D. James, long among the most admired mystery writers of our time, draws the characters of Jane Austen’s beloved novel Pride and Prejudice into a tale of murder and emotional mayhem.

It is 1803, six years since Elizabeth and Darcy embarked on their life together at Pemberley, Darcy’s magnificent estate. Their peaceful, orderly world seems almost unassailable. Elizabeth has found her footing as the chatelaine of the great house. They have two fine sons, Fitzwilliam and Charles. Elizabeth’s sister Jane and her husband, Bingley, live nearby; her father visits often; there is optimistic talk about the prospects of marriage for Darcy’s sister Georgiana. And preparations are under way for their much-anticipated annual autumn ball.

Then, on the eve of the ball, the patrician idyll is shattered. A coach careens up the drive carrying Lydia, Elizabeth’s disgraced sister, who with her husband, the very dubious Wickham, has been banned from Pemberley. She stumbles out of the carriage, hysterical, shrieking that Wickham has been murdered. With shocking suddenness, Pemberley is plunged into a frightening mystery.

Inspired by a lifelong passion for Austen, P. D. James masterfully re-creates the world of Pride and Prejudice, electrifying it with the excitement and suspense of a brilliantly crafted crime story, as only she can write it.

January's Pick- The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green

What drew me too this story was the the bravery of the protagonist to rise above her circumstances to forge a life of her own, not dictated by her medical condition. Whether it's a child with cancer or a teen managing diabetes, I am amazed by the courage of our kids. Do you know any of these inspiring youth? I'd love to hear about them.

Amazon Book Review:

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.

Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning-author John Green’s most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.

TIME Magazine’s #1 Fiction Book of 2012!

“The Fault in Our Stars is a love story, one of the most genuine and moving ones in recent  merican fiction, but it’s also an existential tragedy of tremendous intelligence and courage and sadness.” —Lev Grossman, TIME Magazine