Book Club! by Ms. Richardson

Powerful White Pine Nominee (Mrs Straughan)

2020-03-20 14:11:16 UTC

Structured snippets from the minds of those caught up in caring and fighting for Thabo, an African boy smuggled into Canada and abandoned at the Vancouver airport. I loved the different (and conflicting) perspectives on how best to help - from the teacher who finds him, the students who take up his cause, the families that provide sanctuary, the authorities trying to abide by the law.

Can't wait to see what you're reading!

krichardson12 — 2020-03-20 14:13:47 UTC

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Crescent City- House of Earth and Blood

krichardson12 — 2020-03-20 16:25:27 UTC

The world building in this brick of a book (it's a long one!) is quite cool and the twists and turns to the mystery certainly kept me guessing! The protagonist eventually got some gumption, but it took me a little while to connect with her. For fans of Throne of Glass, Six of Crows, Divergent, and the like... this one was a good read!

The Great Alone

bbrough — 2020-03-20 20:05:27 UTC

Leni's father returns from Vietnam, and he decides to move his family to Alaska. An eclectic cast of characters (particularly strong women) help the three learn how to survive in Alaska - that is until winter sets in. An epic story about the darkness in humans as well as their capacity for love, resilience, perseverance, and forgiveness. A fabulous book for our 2500km road trip across Europe - I couldn't put it down.

If you love this book...

sstraughan — 2020-03-26 15:10:18 UTC

Author Jeff Zentner is reading from it live on IG - and pausing to explain something about a character, or why he chose to set a particular scene in a setting. Look at his IG feed for time of next reading...he's doing it every other evening (note 7pm his time, 8pm Ontario time)

A Spark of Light - Ethical Fiction

ccole64 — 2020-04-03 15:14:16 UTC

This Jodi Picoult best seller is about a hostage situation in one of the only women's centre in the country that preforms abortions and how the lives of all the characters intersect in the most meaningful ways. This text answers some of the tough ethical questions about life, love and human rights. She also keeps things interesting by telling the story chronologically backwards!

Skyward - Brandon Sanderson

kfingas — 2020-04-14 19:00:14 UTC

Brandon Sanderson being my favorite author, I figured I would try this book. Spensa's father was a pilot, and considered a coward. Spensa has always wanted to redeem her family by becoming a pilot. Through twists and turns, the other worldly story plays out, with battles, ships and heros. Skyward has a fantastic blend of sci-fi, fantasy, and romance, it's storyline unique, with the signature depth of character found in most of Brandon Sanderson's books. I can't wait to read more of the series!

WE CONTAIN MULTITUDES WHITE PINE

2020-04-20 02:15:38 UTC

oh my jesus like i can't even with this book the emotions. Literally this book is the opposite of basic which I admit I thought it we would be. However, the characters you agree with but are also like noooo what u doin just feel the loveee man. Anyways its has a really nice pace and they are very open with each other which is realistic because they are writing letters and I feel like it was a beautiful way to convey the story and get their perspectives. But you resonate with the characters so deeply and honestly before I even realized it this book enveloped me hole. When I finished this book it was one of those endings where you just have so much inside of you and you feel so much but have no idea to describe it. When the pain from the chapters read yesterday is still fresh and the joy from the chapters today is trying to poke through and you're just like. What. Where am I. Who am I. How are these characters even just part of someone's imagination. Anyways to anyone who actually read my lengthy rant I salute u and urge u to read this book THEN TALK TO ME!!! :) <3

City of Girls (Elizabeth Gilbert)

sstraughan — 2020-04-20 14:43:20 UTC

By the author of Eat, Pray, Love. Octogenerain Vivian Morris looks back on her life (in response to a query from her past). Having been kicked out of Vasser, she lands on her aunt's doorstep - the once-opulent, now-shabby Lily Playhouse, with her beloved Aunt Peg and a ragtag assortment of actors, dancers and showgirls.

Three Dark Crowns

2020-04-20 19:23:51 UTC

First book of a 4 book series. On Fennbirn, three triplet queens are born every generation. Only one will survive past their 16th birthday (meaning one will kill the other two), and be crowned Queen. I liked this book because it made the characters seem real and gave them weaknesses. even thought they are supposed to be regal queen. You can relate to the characters and it's fun to root for them. There are lot of plot twists to keep you engaged and makes you eager to read the next book.
- Seysey

Pre-Rukhsana Ali

2020-04-29 21:32:08 UTC

Ok so i started this book and I'm like 4 short chapters but I have thoughts and no one to talk to here I am. First, don't you hatttte it when u start a book. You know the bad thing thats going to happen, but u start the book and kind of forget. THEN U FRICKIN FALL IN LOVE WITH THE CHARACTERS AFTER THE FIRST SENTENCE AND UR LIKE OMG NO BABY NO ON CAN HURT U. Anyways so the thing hasn't happened yet but I had that revelation and I'm so sad. Also lol when the mom said, "mr Jones? Is he Bengali? " I literally said oh my goood and rolled my eyes. I have neeeever done that. Like it was so instinctual I laughed after. Anyways if you have already read this book then haha guess u can laugh at this and be oh how she doesn't know. Also I know this story is going to get complicated and it's refreshing to see such real 'protaganists'. Rukhsana's parents (especially mom as I can see so far), really love and her and want whats best, they simply have a warped perception of that. Which I understand, as it is a result of how they themselves were raised. They seem different from typical strict parents that are more in the mother Gothel sense. But are more realistic, you can tell they are a family, these people have spent their lives together and these caring qualities don't just come out in the last two chapters of conflict resolution which I usually see, for example Dear Evan Hanson. Maybe I have this whole thing wrong but that's how I see it for now. Once again thx for reading my rant. (yooo i put ":) <3" on my last one so thats my thing now~ my signature~)
:) <3
edit:
im crying , the world is cruel. The tunnel-vision demonstrated by these characters, the manipulation, the lack of empathy, respect, and separation. You are a person, everyone is a person, an individual. You cannot own someone, control someone. This isn't about independence, this is seeing someone as an extension of yourself, this is selfish.

This is an incredible book about culture, religion, race, family, acceptance, pain, and betrayal. I feel betrayed, by these characters, whom I don't even know. I feel betrayed by the way they portrayed themselves, and their hypocritical words followed by their cruel actions.

Wheel of Time Series

kfingas — 2020-11-27 00:35:20 UTC

Ok, so it's been inactive on here for a while, but I needed to write so, here I am. This series is a big commitment for me. I'm not afraid of adult books, but 14 plus a prequel seems a bit much, even for me. Having said this, I don't regret a second I've spent reading this series. I'm on book 8 (well... 9 if you count the prequel) right now, and started the series in august. That means I've read well over 2400000 words in about 3 1/2 months. Fascinating magical system, mostly deep characters, and phenomenal world building. Robert Jordan even put considerable effort making sure that there is an abundance of powerful women groups!(the women in this are awesome and terrifying!) This series, although the third longest fantasy series out there (word count wise), is beautiful, and I can't wait until the end! (where it's written by Brandon Sanderson, my favourite authour). Anyways, I would recommend if you need something to do and want to really get invested in characters! And... if you do, come talk to me pls! I can talk for hours about the drama and action of this book! (below: the first book)