Cloudstreet by Tim Winton

I must break down and tell everyone the truth! This was the first book club book I was not able to finish! We have had an incredibly busy summer and this book was just not grabbing me on my few spare moments. I read about half and watched the mini series to finish off the book. I was able to stay up late and watch the series since reading just put me to sleep! This book took place in Australia. We decorated, dined and played just like the Australians. The host has roots in Australia s

o she was able to decorate with coins, table cloths, banners and boomerangs straight from that Country. It was fun to see everything and have her share some history with us. We went with an all white clothing theme to resemble cricket players. We had shish kabobs on the barbie, played croquet and enjoyed visiting outdoors late into the evening. We had homemade wine to take home, homemade garbage disposal fresheners, jars with Australian animals on the lid and Australian Fish.

Fly Away by Kristin Hannah

We knew this book was a must as soon as we heard it was coming out!  If you have been keeping up with this blog you already know Firefly Lane was the book that started the Firefly Book Club.  The main character in the first book had breast cancer so we went pink with everything this meeting.  We had fancy pink drinks, pink dresses, pink flowers and favors.  Katie made everyone beautiful pink earrings. The host bought each member a scarf from Kohl's cares which donates 100% of the net profit to the fight against breast cancer.  http://findnsave.shelbyvilledailyunion.com/offer/Kohls-Cares-Jennifer-Lopez-Floral-Scarf/26493723/

The give back project for this book was Breast Oasis. We donated new or gently used bras to woman in need. We received a really nice thank you letter with handwritten signatures from all of the staff! We will definitely do this give back project again in the future! We had amazing food and enjoyed eating outside.  This book was about friendships and how sometimes friends become family.

Buffalo Girls by Larry McMurtry

I must admit the theme was picked before the book on this one!  We knew we wanted Wild West dress code and for the book to center around a group of woman.  We searched and searched for the perfect fit and Buffalo Girls came out the winner.  I think everyone enjoyed this story.  The story is real people but not real stories.  We enjoyed researching what was true or false.  The host created a realistic saloon with swinging doors and signs.  She covered the walls with old photographs of the characters in the book.  Jen brought a stuffed Beaver on loan from a friend!  Read the book and you will get it!  It was part entertainment for the night and made for many photo ops!  It was HUGE!  Adorable favor bags were given to each guest with a mini Jack and Coke, old fashioned candy, Zucchini bread in a mason jar and homemade bath bombs! 
                               

The host also had wanted posters made for each member with crazy names and photos!  They were funny and hilarious to find mixed in with the old images.  We asked a few folks to trap us a Beaver for dinner but we were not so lucky!  Plan in advance if you decide to read this book.  You need more than a week to get Beaver on the menu! 

Rockettes, Rockstars and Rockbottom by Keltie Colleen

This book was picked entirely for the theme potential!  Seriously, we had to throw in a cool Rockette costume to all the book club fun!  The decorations, dancing, costumes and New York Style food was a blast.  We had such a great time at this meeting!  We felt like serious Rockette dancers until we tried to take a picture lined up and all kicking our feet at the same exact time!  So this whole Rockette thing is not as easy as it looks!  We had loads of fun trying though and lots of memories that only bring us closer together! 

                                        

I guess we need to talk about the book since this is a book club blog!  It was a super easy fast read and a bit annoying.  We did immediately research her three unnamed guys after reading.  She teases us with thinking they are mega stars by not offering up who they are just referring to them as Singer, Dreamer and Dasher or was it Dancer?!?  I created a quiz all about the Rockettes since this book wasn't really a discussion piece.  The quiz was fun and had a fancy New Yorkish style cupcake for the champion.  Well, a cupcake from the local bakery because we live far from the real thing!  Sample questions from the quiz... How tall do you have to be to be a Rockette? 5'6 to 5'10 1/2.  What two forms of dance should you be highly skilled in? Jazz & Tap. 
                              

My husband made decorative stars for all the members from cereal boxes!  We also made one of a kind Firefly bleach shirts for all the Rockettes at the meeting.  

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

We love a free book contest!  We all have been winners a time or two!  Katie won each of us a copy of Life After Life.  Check out Reading Group Guides or Goodreads if you want to enter a few.  We seem to have good luck at either of those. 

This book makes you think!  It definitely makes for a good discussion.  Most of us really liked it.  Watch out!  You might even want to re-read it!  The book can be read and enjoyed or delved deeper into and studied. 

We had decent food choices from the book to have a sit down meal together.  We had Salmon, seed loaf and German pastries from a local German Coffee Shop. 

We collected change for a give back project this month.  My cousin is heading to Romania for a mission trip so we were able to help a local girl make a difference in the world.


*What if we had a chance to do it again and again, until we finally get it right?  Wouldn't that be wonderful?   -Kate Atkinson, Life after Life

Fireflies in December by Jennifer Erin Valent

I can't believe it has been three years of FUN and reading!  Oh, the memories we have made.  I am not sure where I would be without these amazing woman and wonderful books.  I was very sick this month so we had to celebrate a little late.  We wore the signature Firefly color blue and decorated the same.  We talked about Favorite books from the year.  These is My Words was popular amongst all of us.  Gone Girl and The Shoemaker's Wife seemed to be the runners up.  We talked about our favorite costumes.  Hmmmm....this one was tough.  My personal favorite costumes were The Great Gatsby and Gone Girl!  The Amish outfits lost the costume competition.  We all seemed in agreement on that one.  We also discussed favorite laugh out loud moments, foods and memories from the year. 

One member mailed us all forms to fill out. This helped  get us thinking about the above questions before we met.   Everyone got a handmade silver firefly charm to celebrate the occasion.  Maybe on the 5th anniversary we will go crazy and get tattoos!   

Hercule Poirot's Christmas: A Hercule Poirot Mystery by Agatha Christie

This book was perfect for getting us in the mood for a couples Murder Mystery party!  Crazy Christmas season was coming so we needed a fun and silly party to just relax and have fun.  This was a great escape from reality to play parts, dress up and be silly with friends!  We have had trouble in the past finding good Christmas books that are not too cheesy!  So if you need a good Christmas pick we would all recommend this one.  We all had a great time and enjoyed the Murder Mystery party experience.  The men were great sports and surprised us all with their acting skills.  It was fun to try but we probably won't be doing it again anytime soon. 

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaimen

The Firefly book club is full of moms of boys.  We all have children ranging in ages 3 to 16!  It is nice sometimes to read a Young Adult or Children's book for a meeting.  Especially one that the kids or kids friends have already read.  This book was OK and gave us a little discussion.  We mostly used this book has a Halloween theme to make sure we got in the annual book club costume bash!  Yes, I am aware we are usually in costume but we invited the whole family for this one!  We had Superhero squads, Ghost Hunters, Dawg the bounty hunter and his wife, The Simpsons and a Cowboy & Angel right from the country song!  We suggest every member planning an activity or game to share and play with the kids or whole group.  It takes pressure off the host and brings lots of creativity and FUN to the party.  A favorite this year was trying to eat the doughnut off the string the fastest.  HAppY HaLLoWeeN!!! 

These is My Words by Nancy Turner

This is the perfect fall book club book!  We all really enjoyed this book and most will continue to read the whole series.  The host decided on a shabby chic feel for decorations.  It felt like we were back in the old days with Sarah.  The host has a little one room summer kitchen on her property that was decorated perfectly.  We went with a boots and hat cowgirl type dress.  We even had a little coyote scare!

Everyone got an up cycled chair as a parting gift.  Sarah almost had a matching set by the end of the book.  The goodie bags were amazing with homemade soap, warm socks, country picture frame, seeds for planting, lace koozies for the Mason jars and a cool covered photo box.  We also got soup mix to make later. 

We enjoyed Mexican food for dinner thanks to the neighbors in the book.  The Fajitas were grilled outside and so yummy!  We also had tortillas, homemade bread, pecan pie and Texas trash dip.  Book clubs make for the best eating.  The whole night ended up being one of my most favorite book clubs.  That is a hard title because we really know how to throw a meeting!

It was hard for everyone back then especially children so the host picked The Ronald Mcdonald house for the charity this month. 

 http://www.rmhc-centralohio.org/wish_list.php

This is a wish list for Columbus, Ohio.  They have many other locations though if you want to give but don't live near The Firefly book club. 

Gone Girl

A crazy book club meeting for a crazy book!  The host created a crime scene just like the book in her house.  She also had crazy drinks, rummy worms and casseroles like those boring housewives make.  We all came in disguise like we were on the run.  The goodie bag was a jar with Punch & Judy pasted on the front.  They each were made out to the Amazing Member.  Don't worry they were filled with gifts not blackmail vomit!  They had upcycled cuff bracelets for restraints, a pair of panties from the scavenger hunt, alcohol test swabs to stay alert, and smarties because Amy was smart.  Blackmail photos were framed around the room of members with famous people.  It was lots of fun watching each member discover the pictures! 

We definitely recommend this book for you and your friends.  Enjoy talking about all the crazy characters and have a crazy good time.  Read up on the history of Punch & Judy before the meeting.  That was strange and interesting to learn and talk about.

We donated used cell phones to victims of domestic violence.  Check out the link if you are interested in helping with this cause.  http://www.actionohio.org/cellphone_collection.htm

The Shoemaker's Wife

This book has so much theme potential it is worth reading with a club.  The outfits and amazing food choices made for a fun evening!  The book was enjoyable also.  It is a BIG book so be prepared.  We picked it up in large print at the library to get it sooner and that one is huge.  Don't let that keep your group from picking it.  The straw hats and long dresses were the direction we went.  The Italian food will have your mouth watering while reading.  A few key dishes in the book just had to be included like the escargot, gnocchi, and baked custard.  This book club was my absolute favorite because of all the yummy food choices! 

We donated gently used shoes for the charity this month.  What a great charity to go with a book about a Shoemaker.  Check out this site and look for a local drop off if you want to make a difference in your book club.  It is amazing how many extra shoes we were able to give. 
http://www.soles4souls.org/get_involved/

One member made paper shoes to hold the little wine bottles.  Another made biscotti that was amazing!  Talented friends make the best goodie bags!  It is such a treat after every meeting to see the thought and creativity that goes into these projects. 

The Knees of Gullah Island by Dwight Fryer

We went looking for this book so we could learn more about the Gullah culture. When searching for this topic it was very hard to find Fiction books that focused on Gullah culture.  Overall the group liked this book. 

Try to schedule a trip or vacation to Charleston, SC close to this meeting.  Charleston, SC has Gullah museums, festivals, history and present day Gullah knowledge. Make sure to stop by a basket weaving station on the side of the road.  They are amazing. I wish I could have brought everyone back a sweetgrass basket but settled on Shrimp and Grits for everyone with cooking directions written in Gullah.  We also had sweetgrass roses, a bible translated in Gullah, Frogmore Stew and spanish moss dripping from the trees.  Different members brought something to contribute to the Frogmore Stew.  Here is the recipe if you want to create a stone soup like theme for your meeting. 

Frogmore Stew
Big pot of boiling water seasoned with Old Bay to taste 
Potatoes, Corn, Onion, Sausage and Shrimp


Put in the pot with slow cooking things first.  Shrimp last till cooked.  Dump outside on a table with newspaper and eat! 

Wear something beachy because most of this book club should take place outside in the summer heat.  The south is HOT.  It was a Gullah good time!

The give back project this month was a donation to an organization that helps combat human trafficking.  This seemed like a good connection to a book around the time of the end of the civil war since Human trafficking is a modern form of slavery. We found one not far from our town that we could easily drop off donations.  Here is a link if you live near or around Columbus. http://centralohiorescueandrestore.org/ If not just google your local area and you should find something.  We had FIVE in Columbus.  I was saddened to learn that human trafficking is on the rise.  Help out if you can!

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

We went straight to the loony bin for this one.  We mixed in another classic this year with One flew over the Cuckoo's nest.  The host planned a movie night for the meeting so we could watch after we read.  Great book and message that would be perfect for a book club discussion.  We spent most of the time visiting, eating and watching movie but would still recommend this title!  One member made a huge bottle of "cough syrup" with a Firefly Book Club label.  The ingredients that were listed in the book for cough syrup were attached to the back of the bottle.  She found the bottle at a local hardward store.  It was perfect to go with the "meds" we had rationed out for each ward.  The meds were labeled like the wards in the book.  We had the Acute and the Chronic.  Don't worry medication time only consisted of tic tacs and altoids.  The medication containers were little ketchup things from a fast food place.  If you read this one with your group this is a perfect treat. 

We wore "greens" to match the patients in the book.  Scrubs were easily found at the thrift store.  A favorite spot for collecting book club wardrobes.  You could also have a nurse Ratchet or Candy the hooker.  We had the hooker but no nurse.  The majority of us were mental patients.  We are all moms and I think feel a little crazy most of the time. 

The host Emily picked a local nursing/rehab center to take donations.  They were gladly accepting books and magazines for patients and visitors.  Such an easy way to help the community.  We always have lots of extra books to share!  Call around if you want to help.  You will be surprised the places that would welcome similar donations. 

Breaking Silence by Linda Castillo

Breaking Silence is a quick easy read.  A bit of a mystery and great Amish theme.  The setting of the book was in Ohio which is the home state of the Firefly Book Club ladies.  It was fun to read about the local newspaper The Columbus Dispatch in the pick of the month.  We had a great time dressing, baking and crafting like the Amish.  The member that lived on the most farm like setting hosted this one.  We had wonderful goodie bags that were perfect with the theme.  The host made hand towels with initials of members sewn on that were wrapped around Amish friendship bread.  We also got a starter for future loaves.  We also had homemade wine with special Firefly book club labels, clothespin holders and stamped hand towel. 

Jenny the host picked the charity this month.  We donated canned goods to the local food pantry.  Here is a link http://www.cwhumanservices.org/Pantry.html  Check out your local pantry for the most needed items if you are interested in serving your community. 

Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult

Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors.  I was excited to finally discuss one of her books in a group meeting.  We switched it up this month and went out to dinner.  Not a lot of outfit or food choices in this one so it worked out perfectly.  The member that took charge and made reservations also decorated the table and brought dessert.  Dessert was amazing and such a treat.  Mason jars full of cupcakes!  Yum!

  Ok, back to the book.  Everyone enjoyed the book but this was the first of her books I didn't get super passionate about.  She covers some big issues and this missed the mark for me.  A great book but didn't get major discussion going at the table.  We made special Firefly bleach shirts for each member since we didn't have an outfit theme.  I need a theme if you can't tell already. 

Allison wanted to donate items to the Faith Mission of Ohio.  We hand delivered them to the men shelter after dinner.  Here is a link if you want to help!  http://www.faithmissionofohio.org/wishlist.php  This is a link to the wishlist items.  There are lots of other ways to give back on the site if hand delivering goods is not your thing. 

The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald

                        
We traveled right back to the roaring 20's for this one. Oh, what a time we had at this meeting. Plenty of hidden booze, good records and fun flapper costumes. This was by far one of my favorite book clubs. We had plenty of appetizers for snacking. Some of us researched recipes from the time period to stay true to the book. Katie ordered everyone flasks to wear tucked in garters. Perfect for a book during the time of Prohibition. If you want to go all out at your meeting stick with something from this time period. The book was not a favorite read for all but enjoyable for some.

 

 Katie picked the charity of the month for our year of giving back. We sealed up leftovers to pass on to the homeless in the Central Ohio area. If you are interested you have to check out this site! http://www.celestialmission.org/  It is pretty amazing and looking for amazing people to join. It is so easy and a few of us continued to contribute long after this meeting.

The Woman Lit by Fireflies-January 2012

A new year. A new book. Every year anniversary in January we try to pick a book with the word Firefly in the title. The book club all started with a book by Kristin Hannah called Firefly Lane. The Woman lit by Fireflies has three short stories that are not connected. It was ok but not a favorite by our group. The great thing about a book club though is you are exposed to books you wouldn't pick up on your own. It does have lots of discussion questions and may be great for your group. We just can't recommend it. This was the anniversary meeting so we had lots of games from a year of reading. A guess the quote game with two competing teams. A who can put the year of books in order the fastest game. This got a little dangerous! Also, a guess the object game. A bag full of random things and you pick the book it matches.

We made firefly butter mints for favors and snacks.

We had lots of great favors to celebrate another year of reading. We also made handmade bronze charms and beaded charm bracelts. Each charm represents a book from the last year. Thank goodness we know an artist that was able to guide, teach and offer us space and equiptment to do this.

We donated fronts of cards to St. Judes Hospital this month. This is a great month to do cards to clean up all the Christmas cards hanging around. This was so simple & expensive. We had a ton of cards and busted the first envelope I filled. Shipping was around $5.00. Here is a link to copy & paste if you are interested.

http://www.stjudesranch.org/shop/recycled-card-program/

A year of books...

The Book Thief

What a fabulous read for discussion. This book was a crowd pleaser! We would all recommend for another book club. Lots of great quotes and questions. The quotes were so wonderful one member created handmade rings with glass and quotes inside. They are amazing!

This month and continuing through all next year we will be giving back at each meeting. We thought it would be perfect to start with books. Don't worry we didn't steal any like Liesel. We donated gently used or new childrens books to Nationwide Childrens Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
What a great way to help the community. If interested in doing this follow the link below. Copy & paste if you can't click it open.

http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/wish-list-for-donations

We should have lots of wonderful ideas this year to help out. If you don't live close to us look up a hospital in your area that might need similar items.

“I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.” ― Markus Zusak, The Book Thief

Hollywood Girls Club by Maggie Marr

This book was a quick silly read. We were getting to serious with the selections this year and needed to mix it up a bit. So, not the best book club read if you are looking for a great discussion. This book did not have questions so just plan on a fun event. The host of this meeting created an event with a red carpet, photographer and all! We dressed appropriately for a hollywood party. It was fun to glam it up and be fancy for the night. So different than the usual day to day stay at home mom look. We had caviar, fancy drinks, sushi and more. The host created special wine glasses with the intial of each guest. She also made a little Hollywood sign and an event backdrop for photos. Lots of sparkle all around.

Dracula by Bram Stoker

We needed to throw in a classic to make the year complete. This was October choice. What a perfect month to read a spooky vampire book! Combine a book club meeting with a fun Halloween party to get the most of this one. We had a special place decorated just for vampire talk. Garlic necklaces, crosses and sharp stakes were close by just in case. This is a great book club book with a good selection of discussion questions.