Daily Archives: July 26, 2010

August Book and Read-along Schedule!

Posted on July 26, 2010
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All I can say is.. wow, it was close!  You can click on the picture above to see just how close… but, in spite of heavy competition with Anna Karenina – Wilkie Collins’ The Woman in White has won and will be the featured book for August here at The Lost Entwife!

So get those copies picked up from the library or downloaded to your e-book readers!  This is our reading schedule.

A reminder, the more often you post a meaningful comment or discussion (no simple “I liked it!”) to each weeks read-along post, the more chances you get at entering the competition so get those thinking gears moving again and let’s have some fun!

HERE’S THE SCHEDULE:

August 1-7:

  1. [THE STORY BEGUN BY WALTER HARTRIGHT]
  2. [THE STORY CONTINUED BY VINCENT GILMORE]
  3. [THE STORY CONTINUED BY MARIAN HALCOMBE]
  4. [THE STORY CONTINUED BY MARIAN HALCOMBE.]

August 8-14:

  1. [THE STORY CONTINUED BY FREDERICK FAIRLIE, ESQ.]
  2. [THE STORY CONTINUED BY ELIZA MICHELSON]
  3. [THE STORY CONTINUED IN SEVERAL NARRATIVES]
  4. [THE NARRATIVE OF HESTER PINHORN]

August 15-21:

  1. [THE NARRATIVE OF THE DOCTOR]
  2. [THE NARRATIVE OF JANE GOULD]
  3. [THE NARRATIVE OF THE TOMBSTONE]
  4. [THE NARRATIVE OF WALTER HARTRIGHT]

August 22-28:

  1. [THE STORY CONTINUED BY WALTER HARTRIGHT]
  2. [THE STORY CONTINUED BY MRS. CATHERICK]
  3. [THE STORY CONTINUED BY WALTER HARTRIGHT]
  4. [THE STORY CONTINUED BY ISIDOR, OTTAVIO, BALDASSARE FOSCO]

August 29-31:

  1. [THE STORY CONCLUDED BY WALTER HARTRIGHT]

I will post our discussion post at the beginning of each week and feel free to add comments to it as you read through that weeks material.

Now – the reward!

The winner chosen by random.org once the month has finished will receive the following for participating:

  1. Any item valued at $20 or less from ME! Bath – for that nice, relaxing spa time needed with a good book.
  2. One surprise book chosen from my bookshelves.  The choice I will be making will be determined on what I’ve learned about you in the upcoming discussions (and I do a pretty good job of picking books out, don’t worry!)

I’m so excited about this read-along and anxious to reacquaint myself with Wilkie Collins!  Looking forward to getting to know you all better through this!

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Every Last One by Anna Quindlen

Posted on July 26, 2010
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Every Last OneEvery Last One by Anna Quindlen

Buy on Amazon

Summary:

n this breathtaking and beautiful novel, the #1 New York Times bestselling author Anna Quindlen creates an unforgettable portrait of a mother, a father, a family, and the explosive, violent consequences of what seem like inconsequential actions

My Review:

My first introduction to Anna Quindlen was four years ago when RISE AND SHINE was released. I have vague memories of the book (I wasn’t writing my reviews down at the time) and, although those memories didn’t put me off of reading more Quindlen, they didn’t inspire me to seek her out again.

Every Last One gives me somewhat of the same feeling – which is really odd because I got very emotionally wrapped up in this story. The thing I decided I didn’t like about the book was the thing that actually hooked me in, I realize that now as I look back on the experience.

The first half of Every Last One describes a mundane life, a life that we all are familiar with in some way or another. The happy marriage, the three children, each diverse and each carrying their own set of issues. Ruby, the 17 year old poet – sassy, independent but still.. just a child with fears of the unknown, of going away to college and of making the right choices. Alex, the sports jock and one of a set of fraternal twins. The kid that everyone knows will be okay, the one the parents have the most ease in relating to, and then there’s his twin, Max – the drummer, the quiet sort, the depressed. Max has no where to fit in, surrounded by his popular sister and sports brother.

Out of those three children a story begins to spin. About halfway through the book is the part that both hit me hard and the part that reminded me of why I never sought out Anna Quindlen again. I feel like I got punched in the chest. Everything I assumed about the story was shattered and it affected me deeply – so why the so-so review?

Because I am resentful. I feel as if the story turned and I was strung along merely for the “shock” of what happened. Anna Quindlen redeems herself by really working through the grief and horror of her characters but I can’t help but feel a little bit like the entire first half of the book was a set-up to lull me into complacency.

With that said, this was a good book. It had a powerful story and a powerful message to convey, just guard your heart or you may find yourself weeping for an hour like I did trying to get a grasp on what just happened. (This is what happens, also, when you do not read reviews or descriptions of the book before picking it up.)

View all my reviews >>

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