Getting Closer...

The launch of 'Novel Tea 'n Pages' Book Club is coming up fast and it brings with it, a buzz...something new is in the air...a fresh start and the beginning of a journey. A small group of like-minded people are about to set sail, with book in hand and discover a world of ... more.

The objective of this book club is to develop and grow friendships between people from all sorts of backgrounds who share a common interest. We even have a member who is reading with us from afar...across the other side of the country, in Western Australia. Book Clubs have a way of bringing people together and developing bonds.

We are looking forward to many excursions to poetry readings, book launches, the odd trips to book stores, Writers Festivals and possibly, down the track, retreats. But that is the fun part; the unknown. There are so many possibilities, and that is going to be part of the journey; to explore all our options.

This club is informal and relaxed. The discussion questions and reading guides are prepared for you...all you have to do is enjoy the read, then come along to our meetings which are held on the first Wednesday of every month and share your thoughts. April's book is: 'Water for Elephants' by Sara Gruen.

There is always room for more to join. If you'd like more information, please leave a comment and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

In the meantime,

happy reading...

Words About: The Ice Age by Kirsten Reed

The Ice Age by Kirsten Reed

I always look forward to reading a debut author's work almost as much as I enjoy reading a favourite author's work. I anticipate fresh ideas and writing from the unknown...you never know what treasure will be unearthed. I particularly enjoy reading emerging local authors in order to see what talent is mulling around our own community.

The Ice Age is Kirsten Reed's first novel and is described by other reviewers as something between Lolita and On the Road. It is the tale of a young female hitchhiker who hungers for independence, life experience and in her search for these things, attaches herself to Gunther, a much older guy who seems to exist purely to travel across America's hicks ville highways looking up his interesting and quizzical collection of misfit friends.

It is a quick, fun read with quirky lines like "We drove past all the gaudy painted signs telling us where the next doughnut shop was, the nearest hamburger joint; pizza, now doughnuts again. The road stretched across this wasteland like a big silver rubber band, stapled down by fluorescent mustardy-yellow lines. Even the sky looked tacky, needlessly aqua, a tourist's T-shirt."

The novel pans out like a road trip journal. The young narrator delves into the mundane daily grind of long journeys, the same cheap motels in any town, food on the go, survival, sanity, the people they meet along the way and Gunther's friends dotted along the way.

There are several threads that pull this journey along. One thread is the relationship that develops between Gunther and the narrator. Not yet 18 and travelling with a much older guy draws quizzical and sometimes suspicious looks. Both characters seem up to task to put their relationship to the test as well. Society seems quite intolerant, even judgmental, for friendships of this nature.

Another thread is the narrator's rush to move from innocence to experienced and the immature way she goes about it. She longs for a closeness to Gunther he seems torn to be a part of. The see-saw of emotions between the two protagonists is intense and sometimes leaves the reader feeling tense and maybe even a little frustrated.

As a reader I kept asking myself questions about the two main protagonists. I like stories with layers that get uncovered ... I like depth and I found myself wishing I knew more background about the two main characters. I'm not sure I liked them. They sometimes made me feel awkward, which is probably the best way to feel reading a novel of this nature because the loss of innocence is an awkward time.

I enjoyed this story because it made me think of lots of possibilities and outcomes that could have transpired, but didn't. Throughout the entire story I thought like a writer and for someone who enjoys both reading and writing, that is a good thing. This trip is probably not for everyone, but if you're adventurous, I say ... go for it ... and enjoy :o) ( )

Words About: Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer

I feel satisfied that I made it all the way through this series. Breaking Dawn was very long and mostly enjoyable. Ms Meyer does have the ability to keep the reader reading. Ms Meyer has employed many interesting and varied concepts throughout her work and this last book is full of them.

I am totally unfamiliar with the folk lore surrounding vampires, werewolves, etc, so I am not sure where Ms Meyer gets all her inspiration from, but never in a million years would I be able to conjure up some of what she has managed to do.

I found the ending very 'soft touched' and bland, but ... did I really want to 'lose' any of the important characters??? Really??? So, I guess, it has a 'satisfying and comfortable ending.

I think the writing in this book has very much improved along with the journey. It's funny how we really lose touch with all of the townsfolk in the final books. I wonder where they all went? They obviously weren't that important...and Renée??? Where for art tho, Renée?

Overall, I am glad I stayed with these books till the end...am I changed by them? I can't feel that I am, but was I entertained? Yes, I was entertained, so for that, I am grateful.

happy reading... ( )

Words About: Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

I enjoyed the last two books of this series to get me here to the third. This book however, was probably the one I enjoyed the least.

Again, Ms Meyer spends a long time building up to her dramatic events, only for them to be over in a heart beat. I find it such a long slog as I wade along with the storyline and when I am faithful right to the crux, I feel let down at the end...I kind of get the impression that if I'm feeling this, as a reader, then what must it be like if you are writing it? Ms Meyer was probably over it herself, by the time she actually made it to the exciting part, but just didn't have the stamina to deliver.

I particularly did not enjoy the triangle between Jacob, Bella and Edward. I found parts of this quite distasteful. There were many times when I did not particularly like Bella and again, I found her annoyingly whiny.

However, I persisted and found there is plenty in this book to keep me reading on. I'm looking forward to the last book in the series...will she, or won't she? ( )

Words About: New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

Ms Meyer endeavours to move the storyline along, but at a very slow pace. She tends to spend a very long time, building up her dramatic scenes, which can tend to get a little boring. Ms Meyer still writes like a beginning author and whilst I enjoyed the concept of the storyline, there certainly was room for tightening things up a little.

The driving force to getting the story finished was to move Edward back into it. However, while he is absent Bella gets the opportunity to grow her friendship with Jacob where action of a different sort emerges.

I enjoyed the concepts and ideas involved in this story. It is entertaining. ( )

Words About: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

I am not normally someone who jumps on the so-called 'band wagon' when it comes to popular fiction. However, having said that, there are a very few 'exceptions to my rule'. One Sunday afternoon, I strolled into our media room where my son and his girlfriend were just starting to watch the dvd, 'Twilight'. I'd heard all the hype and to say the least, I'm not into vampires in any way, shape or form.

I had seen interviews given by Stephenie Meyer and I was interested in her for a lot of reasons. I knew she was a new author, she was a mormon and she had made a huge 'break through' in the world of publishing, with a concept that was very 'far fetched'.

Who the woman, the writer that Stephenie Meyers is, is what intrigued me. I have studied creative writing and I write daily, I'm very interested in writing from many different perspectives, so I am always interested in reading and finding out about how new authors breakthrough the barriers. Reading about others who overcome obstacles or have the same passions as I do, I find very inspiring.

I sat down and watched the dvd with my family to see what all the hype was about. I enjoyed the movie and decided that the storyline was actually interesting (and I might add here, very fictional) and it added to my curiosity about Ms Meyers, so I decided that I would read her books...all four of the series.

I found Twilight, (the book) enjoyable, but noticed the tell-tale signs of a beginning author...we all must start somewhere. I found her characters very two-dimensional and shallow. I did not grow to like them and felt the only reason I could identify them was because the actors cast in the movie were very suited. I enjoyed the characters from the movie, but not so from the book.

I did not enjoy the repetition and tired old dialogue throughout. I kept saying to myself - 'I get it!' I wonder where the editor was in this first book? A good editor would have called a halt to these sins right from the start. I found the character of Bella actually quite annoying more times than I care to admit and that's a shame really. The author might argue that she portrayed her as a flawed character, and if that was the case, then it worked, along with the rest of her clumsiness.

By the end of this novel, I was so 'over' the countless mundane meals Bella cooked for her dad. Every time I read this, it reminded me of my own life and the endless meals I have to prepare...aren't novels designed so we can escape our reality? That's probably a little harsh, however, it was another case of...'I get it! - Bella is the sweet, devoted to her father, little girl.' I got 'it' after the first couple of times.

I agree, with other reviews too, that suggest Bella has an unhealthy attitude to life goals...only wishing to be around Edward and whoever she regards as cool. But I must remember who Ms Meyer's target audience is and maybe that has something to do with it.

Having said all that, I enjoyed the book and took it at face value. After I finished Twilight, I was more than ready to read on with New Moon.

I think with all the hype that surrounds books like the ones Ms Meyer writes, along with JK Rowling, we must remember...they are writing FICTION to entertain...and not read anymore into it than that.

happy reading ( )

Title for April: 'Water for Elephants' by Sara Gruen

Novel Tea 'n Pages Book Club members are reading:

'Water for Elephants' for the month of April.

We are kicking off our first official meeting on Wednesday evening, 5 May, 2010 at 7:30pm.

Novel Tea 'n Pages Book Club will continue to meet on the first Wednesday evening of each month at 7:30pm.

'Water for Elephants' is an interesting tale to begin our meetings with. It is colourful and well-written and certainly has a meaty storyline. I am sure our members will enjoy reading this book and I am looking forward to hearing their thoughts at our first meeting.

I am enjoying reading this book for the second time through. It is interesting to rediscover things I've forgotten, and discover things I'd missed from the first reading. Reading a book again is a great way for me personally, to peel back the layers, delve deeper and refresh my memory.

I look forward to meeting with our new members on the 5 March...so until then,

happy reading...

D

Launching of Novel Tea 'n Pages Book Club

A Special Invitation...

How exciting...it is finally happening! My new book club is being launched on Wednesday evening, 5 May, 2010.

Do you enjoy reading books?

Do you enjoy digging down into the nitty gritty of a novel and afterwards, sharing your experience with another who likes to dig?

Do you enjoy a cuppa or a glass of wine...nibbles?

Do you like hanging with like-minded people?

Do you enjoy book and writers' festivals?

Do you haunt bookstores?

If this sounds like you...you are not alone, and I'd very much like to invite you to the very first meeting of 'Novel Tea 'n Pages Book Club'. A club for book nuts and writers, alike.

The meeting is scheduled for: The first Wednesday of every month and the starting time is 7:30pm till 9:30pm. The meetings will be held in my home. If you live in the Brisbane area, you are most welcome to contact me via my comments box, and I will reply to your enquiry.

Our first novel is: 'Water for Elephants' by Sara Gruen. I have prepared a reader's guide and discussion questions, along with a brief biography of Sara Gruen and an excerpt of an interview with the author.

Happy reading...