Accidental Book Review

OK, so I didn't post that much on Thursday....oops. I ran out of time, what can I say??

Anyways, to add to the last post, here is my review of the first book on our list:

1. Accidental, by Allie Smith

This was the first book that we discussed at our first book club meeting. It was a really great book. Although the plot line was not that original, the narrative jumps from person to person in a very creative way, making this book a great read.

It was a little difficult to get into at first, but once you get through the first few chapters, it's hard to put down!

The book is about a family, somewhat dysfunctional. The mother, Eve, who is re-married to Michael, and two children (from Eve's first marriage), 17-year old Magnus, and 12-year old Astrid. They are on vacation at a summer house in Norfolk (England), a boring little town. In walks Amber, a complete stranger. Without actually lying to anyone, she ends up a house guest with the family for the summer. Eve assumes she is one of Michael's girlfriends (he has many affairs with his post-graduate students at the University where he teaches, and she knows it), and Michael assumes she is one of Eve's fans (she is an acclaimed novelist). In her own, somewhat psychotic way, Amber helps the family to let go of some issues, and to start to see things as they are (instead of in some deluded way). In many ways I loved Amber's character, because she simply tells things like they are. No crap what so ever. However, I hated her character more, because she was manipulative and conceited.

Most of the people in the book club really enjoyed the book. I was one of them. However, a few people found it too confusing to follow, with all the different narratives.

For a full (more thorough) review, please see Amazon.ca: http://tinyurl.com/2mlnqa

2. The next book on our list is The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold. Rob (my lovely fiancee) has already started reading it, and is having a hard time putting it down. He likes it far better than Accidental, and says that it is a very emotionally driven book so far.

It is about a little girl who is dead. She was murdered, and the narrative is from her point of view, looking down from heaven. It follows her family and how they cope with her murder, and how she copes with it too. Either than that, I can't say anymore, cause I haven't read it yet (I'm in the middle of The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde).

Gotta go!

Book Club

It's been awhile since I had a chance to post anything, but ideas have been abounding in my little brain. So, there might be quite a few posts happening today, now that I finally have some time!

Item number one on my list is the Book Club Rob & I just joined. My friend Courtney (see the blog, Reading is Sexy) came up with the idea, and organized the club. We had our first official meeting last Saturday, and it went really well. There were eight of us, and the meeting was hosted by Andrew and Courtney. We each picked two books we'd like to read. Then we drew them out of a hat, and in that order, decided that those are the books we will read over the coming months. Then, whom ever suggested the book for that month will host the meeting! Cool, huh? If you're a book nerd I suppose...

Anyways, I will be posting my reviews of the books we read, and I'll also let you know what the rest of the group read. Again, exciting, if you're a book nerd!