Ten Little Indians by Agatha Christie

The Locale: Kate's & Brenda's

The Book: Ten strangers, apparently with little in common, are lured to an island mansion off the coast of Devon by the mysterious U.N.Owen. Over dinner, a record begins to play, and the voice of an unseen host accuses each person of hiding a guilty secret. That evening, former reckless driver Tony Marston is found murdered by a deadly dose of cyanide.

The tension escalates as the survivors realise the killer is not only among them but is preparing to strike again… and again...

(http://www.agathachristie.com/stories/and-then-there-were-none)

Agatha Christie

Interesting--a BBC has created a new production, which aired in December.

The Vote: Emily presented...

• Mosquito Land by David Arnold
• Carry On by Rainbow Rowl
• Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver      WINS!!

Meeting date @ Emily's & Kristine's scheduled for January 24th.

Next to present: Olivia

Then:

• Perri 
• Cassie
• Kate
• Emily

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews.

The Locale: Odessa's & AiYing's

The Book: Greg Gaines is the last master of high school espionage, able to disappear at will into any social environment. He has only one friend, Earl, and together they spend their time making movies, their own incomprehensible versions of Coppola and Herzog cult classics.

Until Greg’s mother forces him to rekindle his childhood friendship with Rachel.

Rachel has been diagnosed with leukemia—-cue extreme adolescent awkwardness—-but a parental mandate has been issued and must be obeyed. When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide the thing to do is to make a film for her, which turns into the Worst Film Ever Made and becomes a turning point in each of their lives.

And all at once Greg must abandon invisibility and stand in the spotlight. (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12700353-me-and-earl-and-the-dying-girl?from_search=true&search_version=service)


Jesse Andrews

The Meeting: I was unable to attend the meeting, but I understand the girls watched the movie, a Sundance Film Festival winner, which they enjoyed.

The Vote: We are definitely behind here. Ashley was due to present books, but unfortunately, had to leave the club. So that puts Emily next, followed by Rylee.

Up Next: Kate sent out her book choices via email. I did not get a copy of that email, so I do not know the book titles. I have not heard what was chosen or when will be our next meeting date.

Update on Vote:  Kate presented...

• The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
• The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley 
• Ten Little Indians by Agatha Christie      WINS!!

Meeting date @ Kate's and Brenda's is December 5th. 
Updates: Not only have we lost Ashley and Jian, but we have also lost Odessa and AiYing, which makes me so sad.  : (   I hope that if, at any time, Ashley and Odessa find to time to come back into the club, they would do so. We would welcome them back with open arms.

I think now that the girls are older, in high school classes that demand more time, and involved in so many other academic and sports activities, it is not surprising that little time is left for book club. Yet, whenever I ask, the consensus from the girls is that they want to continue to meet.

I am content to be flexible, meeting when we can with as many as we can. As the girls grow and evolve, so it would seem, does our club.

Daughters should feel free to inviting new friends to fill our void, but we would still want to limit our numbers to 10-12. Moms would also be encouraged to attend, but now that the girls are older, I don't know that it should be a requirement. I'm happy to just focus on spreading and supporting the love of books and reading.

Next to present: Emily & Rylee @ Kate's meeting.

Then:

• Emily 
• Rylee 
• Olivia 
• Perri 
• Cassie

Death Note (Volume 1) by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata

The Locale: Perri's & TJ's

The Book:  Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects - and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami, a death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal...or his life? (From Goodreads.)

Boredom
Light tests the boundaries of the Death Note's powers as L and the police begin to close in. Luckily Light's father is the head of the Japanese National Police Agency and leaves vital information about the case lying around the house. With access to his father's files, Light can keep one step ahead of the authorities. But who is the strange man following him, and how can Light guard against enemies whose names he doesn't know?

The Meeting:  Really, more a welcome back to the new school year rather than a book club meeting. Not sure any conversations occurred about the graphic novel at all. But the girls swam. Moms chatted. And relaxed. Who did what over the summer. Who went were. Where will all the girls be going to school now that our younger members will be entering high school. Which older members have their learners permit. It was all good. 

The Vote:  No vote. Still in a summer haze. Kate needs to present 3. Perhaps two votes at the next meeting. We will figure it out. 

Up Next: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews. Meeting date @ Odessa's and AiYing's TBD. Plan for some time in September.

Updates:  Conversations about lagging attendance as the girls become involved in other activities. As the girls grow and evolve, so it would seem, does our club. We chatted about inviting new gals to join. Moms too but not a requirement. Just a love of books and reading.  Putting on our thinking caps. 

Next to present:  Kate and Ashley

Then:

• Emily
• Rylee 
• Olivia
• Perri
• Cassie
• Odessa

We Were Liars by E.Lockhart

The Locale: @ Cassie's & Susan's

We Were Liars

E. Lockhart

The Book: A beautiful and distinguished family. A private island. A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy. A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive. A revolution. An accident. A secret. Lies upon lies. True love. The truth. 
 http://wewereliarsbook.tumblr.com/ 

The Meeting: Small group. : (
Hopefully, we'll be able to get a larger group next time. Mixed reviews. Some of us saw the ending coming; some did not. We discussed the reason why "they" were liars. We discussed the behavior of the moms, the dad, and how bad decisions can have a lifelong impact. 

The Vote: Odessa presented...

• Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin
• Distant Waves by Suzanne Weyn
• Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews  WINS!!

Meeting date @ Odessa's and AiYing's TBD. Plan for some time in September.

Up Next: We will meet at Perri's and TJ's on August 8th for a back to school swim party and to discuss Death Note (Volume 1) by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. The April 18th meeting was postponed due to lack of those who could attend.

Next to present: Kate

Then:

• Ashley
• Emily
• Rylee 
• Olivia
• Perri
• Cassie
• Odessa

Graphic Novels--Mause, Persepolis, & Scott Pilgrim

The Locale: Olivia's & Susan's

Maus: A Survivor's Tail by Art Spiegelman
A story of a Jewish survivor of Hitler's Europe and his son, a cartoonist who tries to come to terms with his father's story and history itself.

Persepolis, Volume 1 by Marjane Satrapi
Wise, funny, and heartbreaking, Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi’s memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah’s regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran’s last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country.

Scott Pilgrim, Volume 1 by Bryan Lee O'Malley
Scott Pilgrim's life is totally sweet. He's 23 years old, he's in a rockband, he's ""between jobs,"" and he's dating a cute high school girl. Nothingcould possibly go wrong, unless a seriously mind-blowing, dangerouslyfashionable, rollerblading delivery girl named Ramona Flowers starts cruisingthrough his dreams and sailing by him at parties. Will Scott's awesome life getturned upside-down? Will he have to face Ramona's seven evil ex-boyfriends inbattle? The short answer is yes. The long answer is Scott Pilgrim, Volume 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life

The Meeting:  Lots of fun.  Thanks for being flexible and coming to the adjusted time.  So glad folks stayed to enjoy an outdoor movie night, Scott Pilgrim versus The World, a compilation of all the Scott Pilgrim Graphic Novels.  A cool evening--fun wise and weather wise.

The Vote: Cassie presents...

• The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho 
• The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin 
• We Were Liars by E. Lockhart WINS!!! 

I think we will be meeting at Cassie's and Susan's on May 16th to discuss We Were Liars by E. Lockhart.

Up Next: We will meet at Perri's and TJ's on April 18th to discuss Death Note (Volume 1) by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata.

Next to present:  Odessa

Then:

• Kate
• Ashley
• Emily
• Rylee 
• Olivia
• Perri
• Cassie

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt

The Locale: Rylee's & Lisa's

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

John Berendt

The Book: Shots rang out in Savannah's grandest mansion in the misty,early morning hours of May 2, 1981. Was it murder or self-defense? For nearly a decade, the shooting and its aftermath reverberated throughout this hauntingly beautiful city of moss-hung oaks and shaded squares. John Berendt's sharply observed, suspenseful, and witty narrative reads like a thoroughly engrossing novel, and yet it is a work of nonfiction. Berendt skillfully interweaves a hugely entertaining first-person account of life in this isolated remnant of the Old South with the unpredictable twists and turns of a landmark murder case.
(https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/386187.Midnight_in_the_Garden_of_Good_and_Evil)

The Meeting: Very yummy, yummy eats from Lisa and Rylee, all in keeping with the theme of the book. Southern, Savannah, and delicious. Shrimp & Grits. Carmel Cake. Finger Sandwiches...and much much more.

The girls didn't like the book as much as they had hoped. A few hadn't read it. The cover and the description made it seem very mysterious...and it wasn't. But there certainly were interesting characters that gave us fodder for discussion.

The Vote: Perri presented...

• Unwind by Neal Shusterman
• Friends with Boys by Faith Erin Hicks
• Death Note (Volume 1) by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata  WINS!!

We will meet at Perri's and TJ's on April 18th to discuss Death Note (Volume 1) by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata.

Up Next: Susan's and Olivia's on March 28th to discuss graphic novels--any or all of the three presented--Maus: A Survivor's Tail by Art Spiegelman, Persepolis, Volume 1 by Marjane Satrapi, Scott Pilgrim, Volume 1 by Bryan Lee O'Malley

Updates: Emily & Kristine have a potential member and are exploring.

Next to Present: Cassie

Then:

• Odessa
• Kate
• Ashley
• Emily
• Rylee 
• Olivia
• Perri

Mrs. Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

The Locale: Emily's & Kristine's

Mrs. Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

Ransom Riggs

The Book: A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here—one of whom was his own grandfather—were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.
(http://www.ransomriggs.com/miss_peregrine.php)

The Meeting: A yummy meal prepared by Emily and her dad, including a delicious turtle cheesecake. Most of the club attends. Yay! Mixed reviews on the book. But LOVED the videos Emily shared! Mini documentaries of the author on his quest to find the perfect old mansion to represent Mrs. Peregrine's Home for a video book trailer. His travels and homes were fascinating. Old deserted mansions, taking over by nature. Personal belongings left untouched since abandoned. Very mysterious and deserving of exploring.

The Vote: Olivia presents three graphic novels.

• Maus: A Survivor's Tail by Art Spiegelman
• Persepolis, Volume 1 by Marjane Satrapi
• Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life by Bryan Lee O'Malley 

There is a tie between Persepolis and Scott Pilgrim. It is decided that since all the novels are so short, the girls should choose the one that they prefer and read that...or both of the two winners...or all three.

We will meet at Susan's and Olivia's on March 28th.

Up Next: Rylee & Lisa's to discuss Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt on February 14th.

Next to present: Perri

Then:

• Cassie
• Odessa
• Kate
• Ashley
• Emily
• Rylee 
• Olivia
• Perri