January Book Club

Hostess: Kelly
Book: Easy by Tammara Webber
Food: Salad, Flat bread pizza with white sauce, green olives and black olives, chocolate-cream cheese cupcakes
Month: January
Wine of the Night: Apothic Red

The weather this winter has been crazy, but it seemed to have let up just enough to allow us to have book club. The temperature was cold but not in the negatives, and the snow had momentarily taken a break.

We trickled in, one by one, leaving our shoes by the door, grabbing a glass of wine, and choosing a seat in Kelly's living room. The living room at her house gives a feeling of a warm cave, with its thick walls and drawn curtains. It is cozy and safe feeling, and I curled into my spot on the couch immediately.

Mary was not in attendance, due to the miracle of birth! Our pregnant friend had her baby a week before, so of course could not make it to book club. I got to visit the munchkin, and he is super adorable!

Meet Baby Will!

Mary did call in, and talked to everyone for a minute via speakerphone about her thoughts on the book. 

After stuffing our faces, we got down to business. This book was New Adult, so it was on the young side for us, but we still enjoyed it. It definitely has a message, and I feel part of its mission is to educate and inform. Right away, in the first few pages of the book, the main character is nearly raped by someone she knows. The rest of the book is how she deals with it. She also has a love interest, who at first is everywhere and is creepy, but he really is a good guy. Anyway, the book is a quick and easy read, and could be used as a discussion opener regarding rape. 

While we sat in our little cave, the snow had started to fall again. We didn't know it, sitting in the closed up room, drinking wine and talking. When Kelly's husband came home with their five-year old daughter, he let us know that the roads were getting bad. Jennifer lives a bit further away, so she took off because of the weather. The rest of us hung out a bit longer, reluctant for the night to end. It has been hard to be cooped up, it was nice to get out and relax. Kelly's daughter wanted to join out book club, and brought out her Sammy the Seal book. I ended up reading it to her, because I love Syd Hoff and I actually wanted to read it again. Lol. After that, we wrapped up for the night, and all headed home, safe and sound. 

Next month is Mary's month. 

January Book Club 2.0

Hostess: Alyssa
Book: Horns by Joe Hill
Food:  Crepes, cranberry couscous, King Cake
Month: January
Wine of the Night: Bric de Bersan

Entering Alyssa's house is kind of magical -when you walk in, you are greeted with a profusion of art and cats and puppies and Alyssa's own little imps.  There is always something on the stove top, ready for you to eat.  Last night we all trooped in, and pulled our chairs up to the table, pouring wine all around. (well, into glasses)  We chatted a bit about what was going on in our lives, especially Kelly's upcoming trip to London and what she can bring us all back as souvenirs. Lol. 

After a bit, Alyssa got up and made us our crepes. I love crepes, I could eat them everyday, they are so yummy yummy.  She served them with a side of cranberry couscous, and we all gobbled them down pretty quickly.  The pièce de résistance, however, was the King Cake directly from New Orleans.  Despite having visited New Orleans many times, I have never had King Cake, which is a Mardi Gras tradition.  Alyssa told us that growing up in New Orleans, she and her classmates would take turns bringing in a king cake - everyday! King Cakes have a plastic baby baked inside. If you get the piece with the baby, it is your turn to host the next party. Chrissy and Kelly were super paranoid about this, they thought they were either going to chip a tooth or hack to death on it. Kelly ended up having the piece with the baby, and thank goodness she neither chipped a tooth nor did she choke.  

This time around, mostly everyone had read the book, and loved it!  Alyssa, Chrissy and Mary all had quotes from it that they really enjoyed.  We talked about the meaning of different things, what we liked and didn't like- it was great! (My review of Horns will be up either later tonight or tomorrow morning.)  

Alyssa wasn't able to make the December book club and gift exchange, so we got our handmade gift last night.  They are so cute and clever and I love mine!  Her 7 yr. old daughter painted portraits of one of each of our cats. She did a wonderful job!  I am pretty sure this is a portrait of my cat Miso, my only cat with blue eyes.

We all had a great time last night, although we missed Jennifer who was ill, and Jill, who had to work.  Jill has been so busy between school and work that she has missed the last couple of book clubs, so I pulled up a picture of her on my phone so everyone could remember what she looks like. Hopefully she can make our next book club, at the end of this month.  We are reading Blankets, my choice.