May Book Pick - The War Bride Club by Soraya Lane

You've spoken, and we have a new book club pick! For May we'll be reading The War Bride Club by Soraya Lane. You can find this book on Amazon for $2.99, and don't forget that if you have Prime you can borrow this free for the month. This book is also readily available at libraries, since it's not brand new. So go snag your copy and get excited!

From bestselling author Soraya Lane comes a story about friendship, love & heartbreak at the end of World War II.

When Betty, Madeline, Alice and June depart London for New York at the end of 1945 they are complete strangers. But along with hundreds of other war brides, they are leaving home to be with their American husbands now the war is over. In the days they spend at sea, the four young women become firm friends, and vow to stay in touch no matter what their new lives bring.

But life in a new country comes with many challenges…

Betty has no family, and she has no intention of being alone in her final stage of pregnancy. Her dashing pilot husband is the man of her dreams, and she can’t wait to be reunited with him, but tragedy awaits her in America.

Madeline never wanted to leave her family, but she was also in love. She is excited about the ranch her new husband has told her so much about, but the reality of life with his family is nothing like she could ever have imagined.

Alice fell in love with her soldier husband while she was nursing him in London, but the strong, capable man who returned to sweep her off her feet seems to have disappeared. In his place is a man so haunted by what used to be before the war, that she has doubts their marriage will last.

It seems that June is the only one of the four friends to find happiness in America. Her husband and his family welcome her with open arms, but her inability to get pregnant makes her feel like a failure.

The only thing these four brave women can count on is their friendship, but Betty, Madeline, Alice and June didn’t move half way across the world to give up without a fight.

Also, it's time to announce the Top Commenter for April!

Congratulations Keri! You've spoken your mind, and you've spoken it well. In return, you'll be receiving a $5 Amazon GC to spend on more awesome books. Maybe even on our book pick of the month!

Stay tuned guys.

I'll be sending our the first newsletter of the month tomorrow evening, and letting you know about some more new features I'll be implementing on the site. Also, the new Top Commenter spot starts today! Don't forget that you gain a point just but letting us know (by commenting on this post) that you'll be joining us and reading The War Bride Club in May!

The Rosie Project - Final Discussion Post

Good MORNING fellow bookworms! Can you believe that this month has already flown by? It's already time for our last discussion post about The Rosie Project. I'm extremely proud of how successful this month of discussions has gone, and so happy you're all rocking the reading! Don't forget, I'll announce the winner of the monthly comment contest tomorrow afternoon, along with our pick for May.

Let's talk The Rosie Project.

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Let's Wrap it Up!

Share with us your final thoughts on this book.

What did you think about the ending? Agree with it? Disagree with it?

Was this something that you would normally read on your own? Did it pull you out of your reading comfort zone?

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Share out in the comments below! Disqus has this great feature where it creates a waterfall effect for replies, to keep discussions easy. You might want to sign up for an account. It will notify you if someone replies to you. Also don't forget that the Top Commenter gets rewarded! I love seeing your discussions!

My Thoughts?

I was a little skeptical at first. The closer that the ending came, the more I was afraid that Don would loose himself trying to please Rosie. I should have known better. LOL. He's quintessentially Don, always and forever. I giggled out loud when, right at the time my eyes were all misty with adorable romance, Don commented on how he doesn't understand why people get so attached to fictional characters. Damn you Don. Why do you have to be so practical? ;) I couldn't believe how much I'd come to love his craziness.

This isn't my first rodeo with protagonists who have Asperger's, but it was definitely the most interesting. I loved the growth in this story, the heart, and most of all the fact that the author unabashedly showed that we're all a little crazy in our own way! I'm glad I read this book, and even more glad you all read it with me because honestly? I would have probably never gotten to it on my own.

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE IN THE SMACKDOWN!

May Book Pick - Final Smackdown!

The people have spoken and...there's a tie! I'm actually pleased as punch that these are the two that are left in this battle. So let the final smackdown begin!

Polls will only be open until April 29th at 11:00 pm PST. So get those votes in.

The winner will be our May Book Pick!

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online poll by Opinion Stage

May Book Pick - Voting is OPEN!

It's that time! Time to make your vote, and help us decide what we'll be reading in May. Based off of the suggestions you put together I've compiled a poll. You only get one vote, so choose wisely. Also, the results are hidden, so you won't know which book wins until I announce it ;). I love the power I have *cackles evilly*. Polls will close on Sunday, April 27th at 11:00 pm PST. 

So get those votes in! Let's see what we'll be reading next.

online poll by Opinion Stage

Book Picks for May!

Here are the book picks that have been submitted for May!

Note: I'll update this as new ones come in, so keep submitting. The form won't close until April 20th.

Title: Something Like Normal

Author: Trish Doller

Who Picked It: Kari

Why should we read this?

Bc its one of my most favoritest ever. Also. Travis. Rawr.

(Edit by Jessica: Rawr is right.)

When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again. Travis’s dry sense of humor, and incredible sense of honor, make him an irresistible and eminently lovable hero.

Title: Natural Harmony

Author: Kate Roth

Who Picked It: Tina

Why should we read this?

Cause it's awesome. Haha no really it's a well written book with a strong female lead in the music industry. It is a new adult so you might hate it but I think it would still be fun to discuss.

Ps. There are sex scenes so it may not be for everyone.

Suddenly named the acting president of her uncle’s record label, former pop princess Sabrina Walker is finally ready to grow up. While her professional life moves forward, she still clings to the last fragment of her past life in the form of an uncertain relationship with her manager, Beau.

When Sabrina hires handsome, young assistant, Wade Lawson, he awakens in her the hidden confidence she’s always desired. What starts as a casual affair quickly intensifies to something much more.

Sabrina must decide—return to the familiar life of an insecure one-hit-wonder, or embrace Wade and the woman his passion has helped reveal.

Title: Soy Sauce for Beginners

Author: Kristin Chen

Who Picked It: Keri

Why should we read this?

I kind of typed in "Book club books" into amazon, and scrolled looking at 2 things: the price and the cover. When I had about 20 tabs up I went through the selection, and looked for something that wasn't a book that was typically something I would read on my own. This was one of the 2 I settled on.

Gretchen Lin, adrift at the age of thirty, leaves her floundering marriage in San Francisco to move back to her childhood home in Singapore and immediately finds herself face-to-face with the twin headaches she’s avoided her entire adult life: her mother’s drinking problem and the machinations of her father’s artisanal soy sauce business.

Surrounded by family, Gretchen struggles with the tension between personal ambition and filial duty, but still finds time to explore a new romance with the son of a client, an attractive man of few words. When an old American friend comes to town, the two of them are pulled into the controversy surrounding Gretchen’s cousin, the only male grandchild and the heir apparent to Lin’s Soy Sauce. In the midst of increasing pressure from her father to remain permanently in Singapore—and pressure from her mother to do just the opposite—Gretchen must decide whether she will return to her marriage and her graduate studies at the San Francisco Conservatory, or sacrifice everything and join her family’s crusade to spread artisanal soy sauce to the world.

Soy Sauce for Beginners reveals the triumphs and sacrifices that shape one woman’s search for a place to call home, and the unexpected art and tradition behind the brewing of a much-used but unsung condiment. The result is a foodie love story that will give readers a hearty appreciation for family loyalty and fresh starts.

Title: The War Bride Club

Author: Soraya Lane

Who Picked It: Keri

Why should we read this?

Same reason as my other submission. Looking at cover and price, and trying to pick a book that I wouldn't usually go for. Expand my horizons, I guess. :)

When Betty, Madeline, Alice and June depart London for New York at the end of 1945 they are complete strangers. But along with hundreds of other war brides, they are leaving home to be with their American husbands now the war is over. In the days they spend at sea, the four young women become firm friends, and vow to stay in touch no matter what their new lives bring.

But life in a new country comes with many challenges…
Betty has no family, and she has no intention of being alone in her final stage of pregnancy. Her dashing pilot husband is the man of her dreams, and she can’t wait to be reunited with him, but tragedy awaits her in America.

Madeline never wanted to leave her family, but she was also in love. She is excited about the ranch her new husband has told her so much about, but the reality of life with his family is nothing like she could ever have imagined.

Alice fell in love with her soldier husband while she was nursing him in London, but the strong, capable man who returned to sweep her off her feet seems to have disappeared. In his place is a man so haunted by what used to be before the war, that she has doubts their marriage will last.

It seems that June is the only one of the four friends to find happiness in America. Her husband and his family welcome her with open arms, but her inability to get pregnant makes her feel like a failure.

The only thing these four brave women can count on is their friendship, but Betty, Madeline, Alice and June didn’t move half way across the world to give up without a fight.

Title: I Hunt Killers (Jasper Dent #1)

Author: Barry Lyga

Who Picked It: Jessica

Why should we read this?

It's about serial killers, but not in the way you might think! It's dark, and intriguing, and will make you want more. I think it'll break some of you into young adult reads!

What if the world's worst serial killer...was your dad?
Jasper "Jazz" Dent is a likable teenager. A charmer, one might say.

But he's also the son of the world's most infamous serial killer, and for Dear Old Dad, Take Your Son to Work Day was year-round. Jazz has witnessed crime scenes the way cops wish they could—from the criminal's point of view.

And now bodies are piling up in Lobo's Nod.

In an effort to clear his name, Jazz joins the police in a hunt for a new serial killer. But Jazz has a secret—could he be more like his father than anyone knows?

Title: Clockwise (Clockwise #1)

Author: Elle Strauss

Who Picked It: Tina

Why should we read this?

This is a series which I thought might be fun for a few months or we could just discuss the first book. It's a great YA series which includes self discovery, friendship and a bit of intrigue.

Casey Donovan has issues: hair, height and uncontrollable trips to the 19th century! And now this --she's accidentally taken Nate Mackenzie, the cutest boy in the school, back in time. Awkward. Protocol pressures her to tell their 1860 hosts that he is her brother and when Casey finds she has a handsome, wealthy (and unwanted) suitor, something changes in Nate. Are those romantic sparks or is it just "brotherly" protectiveness? When they return to the present, things go back to the way they were before: Casey parked on the bottom of the rung of the social ladder and Nate perched high on the very the top. Except this time her heart is broken. Plus, her best friend is mad, her parents are split up, and her younger brother gets escorted home by the police. The only thing that could make life worse is if, by some strange twist of fate, she took Nate back to the past again. Which of course, she does.

The Rosie Project - Discussion Post #3

*rushes in panting*

Truth be told? I almost forgot about this post today! See, I got off work early and then we went to ULTA and there was Wingstop involved and...well...you get the gist. It's Friday :)

Let's talk The Rosie Project.

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

OPEN FORUM TIME!

Discuss whatever strikes your fancy.
Love a character? Hate a character? Wish the author had brutally murdered Gene?
*cough cough*
Share it out!

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Share out in the comments below! Disqus has this great feature where it creates a waterfall effect for replies, to keep discussions easy. You might want to sign up for an account. It will notify you if someone replies to you. Also don't forget that the Top Commenter gets rewarded! I love seeing your discussions!

My Thoughts?

*slinks behind a wall*

Okay, so I didn't finish this week's chapters yet, although I do plan to read them tomorrow. LOL. I was just so busy all week and by the time I got on the train I just wanted to read fluff. I've been reading Brazen romance novels and swooning over hot, fictional men. Eh, it's my vice.

Start a conversation and I'll hop in as soon as I can!

Top Commenter Incentive Program!

Active bookworms deserve rewards, and I aim to give them to you! I know it's tough to remember to get over here and comment, so I'm happy to reward those who do. After all, who doesn't love winning?

Here's the skinny.

You'll receive 1 point for each of the following items in any month:

- Comment on the book pick of the month and let us know you're joining

- Leave a comment on any discussion posts (you'll get 1 point per comment!)

- Submit a book suggestion for the next month's pick

Additional Rules:
- You can only win once every three months. Won in May? You're eligible again in August.
- Comments must be substantial. I'll count "Oh yeah!", but not a smiley face on its own.
- You must have a valid email address for me to send your Amazon GC to if you win.

On the last day of the month, I'll tally up the points and choose a winner! That person will be gifted a $10 Amazon Gift Card straight from me :). You can use it to buy the next month's book, buy a little something for yourself, or gift it away again. Whatever makes you happy!

Happy reading my friends, and thanks for participating!

The Rosie Project - Discussion Post #2

I'm back from vacation!

Apologies for not posting on Friday, but in all honesty I was caught up in the vacation laziness bug :). I had every intention of using the morning to post it and...well...I went to the pool. It's vacation after all!

In case you missed the original email, you can find the reading schedule here. If you're following it, you'll be finished with chapter 18 or so. If you aren't already signed up for the mailing list, don't forget to do it! Another email is coming on Wednesday to take recommendations for our new read in May.

Let's talk The Rosie Project.

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Has your perception of Don changed at all during the last 9 chapters? How do you feel about him coming out of his shell?

Any new thoughts on Rosie and her compatibility with Don?

What are your overall thoughts on the story so far?

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Share out in the comments below! Disqus has this great feature where it creates a waterfall effect for replies, to keep discussions easy. You might want to sign up for an account. It will notify you if someone replies to you.

My Thoughts?

It's actually insane how much Don has changed since the beginning of this book! I even notice subtle changes in the way he speaks and thinks. Rosie has totally turned his world upside down, and I think he's starting to like it. I loved how committed he was to all the new things he's learned in the last nine chapters. The scene where he has his first date off of The Wife Project list was also totally hilarious! I'd pay money to see Don break it down on the dance floor. In truth? This book is totally growing on me. I find myself wanting to keep reading past when I know I'm supposed to stop, simply because I can't wait to see how he handles the next crazy situation. Don's life is definitely not longer boring, I'll give him that.

The Rosie Project - Discussion Post #1

Good morning darling bookworms!

If you're keeping up with the reading schedule, you'll be finishing chapter 9 sometime today or tomorrow. If you're like me, you've had to keep yourself from reading past that :). This isn't my normal type of read, but I'm pretty immersed.

Don't forget that this isn't a race! If you're reading slower, no problem at all. If you're reading faster, just remember not to bring any spoilers with you to the discussion. If you're not feeling the book? That's okay too!

Don't think of this as a book report. These questions are just to spark conversation. Feel free to share out about whatever you're feeling. Let's talk The Rosie Project.

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

What are your perceptions of the book so far? Love it? Hate it?

How do you feel about Don as a character? Do you like him as a narrator?

Share your thoughts on "The Wife Project".

What are your feelings on Rosie?

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Share out in the comments below! Disqus has this great feature where it creates a waterfall effect for replies, to keep discussions easy. You might want to sign up for an account. It will notify you if someone replies to you.

My Thoughts?

So far I'm really enjoying this book. It took me a little bit to get used to Don's character, but this is the second book about Aspies I've read in less than a month, so I was ready for it. He still grates on my nerves sometimes though. His thoughts on women border on making me livid. LOL. I just let it go, and move on. I think "The Wife Project" is actually good for him though, because it's pulling him out of his shell. Better yet, I think Rosie is great for him! She's challenging his views, and she's not ashamed of it. I barely was able to make myself stop at the beginning of chapter 10.