The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale

Category: Fiction

Published: 2009, 352 pages

Review: 4.5/5

I liked this book way more than I expected to. I had read a few reviews that made me think that I wouldn't like it. It might have been for that very reason that I was so pleasantly surprised. I laughed out loud so many times that my husband said, "I'm going to have to read that book!" He wasn't around though when it made me cry like a baby. The story is completely implausible but it still highly entertained me. It also made me think about marriage, motherhood, friendship, service, and love. This may sound stupid, but this book made me want to be a better mother and wife. It's a little cheesy and cliched at times but I didn't mind because most of the time I loved it.

Rating: 2.1.2 There are some innuendos and "barnyard" language.

The Ladies Auxiliary by Tova Mirvis

The Ladies Auxiliary by Tova Mirvis was a very interesting read. The story is set in Memphis, Tenessee where a community of Orthodox Jews has existed and even thrived for the last 100 years. It seems an unlikely place to find such a community but the people who live there are very proud of what they have built, a community that includes a shul, a school, a kosher grocery story and even a kosher restaurant. Underneath the seemingly idyllic circumstances there does exist some discontent, but for the most part everyone deals with the hand they've been dealt and they keep the peace. The story is told in the collective voice of the women of this Jewish community, the Ladies Auxiliary, and it begins with Batsheva moving into their midst. Batsheva is a convert to Judaism and after her husband died, she and her young daughter, Ayala, decide to move to the place where her husband had been raised. The Ladies Auxiliary is all about how the free-spirited Batsheva shakes things up.

I really enjoyed this book. I was very interested in learning more about the beliefs and traditions of Orthodox Jews. Since the story is told by the women of this community there is a lot about the food and the preparing for Shabbos and all of the many different Jewish holidays. I found it all so interesting but the best part was the portrayal of the different characters and the relationships in this tight-knit religious community. I also live in a religious community and the parallels and similarities are both funny and sad. Mirvis is a straight shooter and doesn't gloss over the shortcomings of this kind of community. This novel sheds both a positive and negative light on the community and I really appreciated that. It is funny and heartwarming in one sense and thought provoking and serious in another. I definitely recommend this book, especially to those who are religious in any way. It's an eye opener.

Review: 4/5 stars
Category: Literary fiction
Published: 1999, 311 pages
Rating: 2.1.2

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Content rating: 2.1.2

Category: Classic, coming-of-age

Review: 5/5

We read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn for book club. It was an excellent choice. This is a character driven novel, not plot driven, and the characters are rich and deep. The relationships between these wonderful characters are what make this book so powerful. Betty Smith describes these people living in Brooklyn during the 1910's so well that they feel real. Some of the topics we discussed at book club were poverty, pride, family, marriage, love, money, and more. Our book club often meets for about 3 hours because we just love to sit and talk together. Most of the time we discuss the book for about an hour to 90 minutes and then we start talking about other things. With this book, although there were a few tangents, we stuck to the book most of the time. There was that much to talk about. I loved this book and highly recommend it.

My Antonia by Willa Cather

Rating: 1.1.1

Recommended audience: Mature teen to adult

Category: Historical, classic, romance

Review: 4.5/5

My book club really enjoyed My Antonia at last month's discussion. It is beautifully written and Willa Cather really brought the Nebraska of the late 1800's to life. The story is told in a memoir-like style by Jim Burden and focuses on how Antonia, a Bohemian immigrant (now the Czech Republic), influenced his life. Antonia is a strong, enduring character and one that our book club really enjoyed talking about. There were also many themes in this book that led to great discussions about immigration, women, family relationships, friendship, marriage, love, and women's rights. I would definitely recommend this book for any book club. I have to admit that when I read this book in my 11th grade American Literature class, I didn't like it at all. I thought it was boring and there wasn't really a plot which was very necessary for my reading enjoyment at the time. The romantic side of it wasn't quite what I expected from a "good read" either (if a book didn't have a good romantic plot to it, it wasn't worth my time back then). I was glad to see when I read this for a second time that I have matured as a reader. :)

Unashamed by Francine Rivers

Rating 1.1.1
Recommended audience: Teen to adult
Category: Historical, religious, inspirational
Review:

This is the second in the Lineage of Grace Series by Francine Rivers. The series consists of five novellas that tell the stories of five women in the lineage of Jesus Christ: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary. Unashamed is Rahab's story. I must confess that I am not much of an Old Testament scholar so although the name Rahab did ring a small bell somewhere in the back of my mind, I did not remember this story. Rahab is a prostitute living in Jericho when the Israelites arrive in the Promised Land. She helps the spies that Joshua sends to Jericho and by so doing is saved from the destruction of Jericho. It is an inspiring story and reminded me again that we can change our lives for the better no matter how far we have fallen.

This is the first book in this series that I have read and there really is no need to go in order. Each story is completely indendent of the others. I listened to this as an audiobook and I thought it was a good recording. I will definitely read or listen to the other four books.

Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Rating: 1.1.1
Recommended audience: Women of all ages
Category: Inspirational, self-help


I haven't been able to read very much lately but I still want to post something so I am going to review some books that we've read for book club in the past. This is a beautiful book with lyrical prose and a heartfelt message. I think it is a must read for all women. Lindbergh wrote this little book as she was vacationing on a beach. As she found different shells along the shore, she compared each one to a different aspect of a woman's life. While I didn't agree with everything she said, I thought she had some wonderful insights and perspectives on women. This is a great book club book as it can generate many different topics of conversation.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Rating: 3.3.3

Recommended audience: Adult

Category: Historical, romance

This was an incredible book. Set in Afghanistan, beginning in 1969 and ending sometime in the last few years, this book tells the story of two women of two different generations and how they come together. I won't give anymore information away. It is not free of sexual content, violence, or profanity as you can see from my rating but none of it is overly graphic or gratuitous in my opinion. I think some may be bothered by the content but if you can handle a 3 rating I would definitely recommend this book. It is very sad but I feel that the story ends with hope for a better future in Afghanistan. Hosseini writes so well and I'm anxious to read Kite Runner and I look forward to his future books.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Rating: 3.2.2

Recommended audience: Adult

Category: Mystery, Gothic

Loved this book! It's beautifully written, has an engrossing story and is a little twisted but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It starts out in modern day England but has a story woven into it beginning about 100 years ago. It reminded me of classic gothic novels like Jane Eyre or a Dickens book. It's a little creepy, a ghost story really, and has many interesting (and in some cases, very strange) characters that you feel like you come to know. There is some sex but it is mostly just implied and not described. The two main characters, Margaret Lea and Vida Winter, are both book lovers and books are often discussed and have a part in the story, another thing I loved about it. If you like Jane Eyre, I definitely recommend this book. If you think Jane Eyre is boring then you probably wouldn't like this either. Sit down with a cup of hot cocoa and enjoy.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Rating: 2.2.3

Recommended audience: Adult, mature teen

Category: Historical, some romance

I've put off doing this review because I'm not sure what to say about it. I don't want to give anything away. The main character is a 14 year old girl who has to deal with the death of her mother and surprising circumstances surrounding that. The book is set in the South during the summer of 1964 when racial tensions were very high. When I read it I liked it but I didn't love it. After discussing it with our book group I came to appreciate it even more. I would not recommend it to anyone who is offended by unorthodox religion. There is also a lot of profanity and though I didn't find it very offensive, I believe some people would find it to be so. I definitely recommend this book because it is beautiful in many ways but it may not be for everyone.

Inside the Kingdom: My Life in Saudi Arabia

Rating: 2.1.2
Recommended audience: Adult
Category: Memoir





We read this book at the recommendation of one of our book club "sisters" and I have to admit that I was a little hesitant about reading it. I am so glad we did. Carmen Bin Ladin married into the Bin Ladin family in the 70's (yes, the Osama Bin Ladin family) and she tells what it was like living in Saudi Arabia. This book describes her daily life while living there (she was able to get out in 1988). Even though this book only tells what it is like for wealthy women in Saudi Arabia, it was still a real eye opener. I knew that things were hard for women there but I didn't know it was like this. I definitely recommend this book. It's an easy read and except for a little discussion about homosexuality it is very clean.

Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang

Rating: 2.3.2
Recommend audience: Adult
Category: Historical, memoir



This is the story of three generations of women and their struggles and triumphs through the very difficult 20th century history of China. It is truly a remarkable story and I learned so much about the history of communism in China and the rule of Mao Zedong. It is not an easy read with all of the Chinese names that are so unfamiliar, but so worth the effort. I definitely recommend this book but be warned that the subject matter is often heart-wrenching. I will never think of China in the same way again.

The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas

Rating: 2.3.4 (The 4 is for one F-word. Otherwise, not much profanity.)
Recommended audience: Adult
4 stars
Category: Historical fiction, mystery

Set during the Depression in Kansas, this is the story of a motley group of women who are part of a quilting club. I really enjoyed this book. I was disappointed by the one F-bomb (as my good friend, Julie, calls them) because I had been excited to recommend this book to my mother-in-law. If you can handle that one spot which also includes some violence, I still recommend this book. It is such a great story of friendship and loyalty and takes you back to a much simpler time compared to the fast paced world of today. It made me want to learn how to quilt. Fun book.