My New Workout Challenge

One of the Most Beautiful Songs

Rave Reviews

Last weekend the new (and dare I say improved?) book club met to discuss Isabel Allende's Daughter of Fortune over scrumptious Chilean delights at Pomaire. Que rico! We all verily enjoyed the book and Allende's super capable storytelling ways. The world of characters she created were engrossing and wholly identifiable; the settings of mid-1800s Chile and California was palpable; her descriptions never faltered. What seemed like a love story gone wrong actually turned out to be a tribute to freedom in all its splendid forms and how we are apt to fight for them. I must say, I loved this book. Allende never ceases to amaze me with her talents. I can't wait to sink my teeth into her newest book, Island Beneath the Sea, as soon as I get the chance.

The March book is Blue Boy, by Rakesh Satyal. Publisher's Weekly said:

"Satyal's lovely coming-of-age debut charts an Indian-American boy's transformation from mere mortal to Krishnaji, the blue-skinned Hindu deity. Twelve-year-old Kiran Sharma's a bit of an outcast: he likes ballet and playing with his mother's makeup. He also reveres his Indian heritage and convinces himself that the reason he's having trouble fitting in is because he's actually the 10th reincarnation of Krishnaji. He plans to come out to the world at the 1992 Martin Van Buren Elementary School talent show, and much of the book revels in his comical preparations as he creates his costume, plays the flute and practices his dance moves to a Whitney Houston song. But as the performance approaches, something strange happens: Kiran's skin begins to turn blue. Satyal writes with a graceful ease, finding new humor in common awkward pre-teen moments and giving readers a delightful and lively young protagonist." (May)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

I'm eagerly awaiting my copy in the mail. In the meantime, I've recently finished Cammie McGovern's debut novel, The Art of Seeing. A lovely, heartfelt read about the relationship between two sisters and how they view themselves in each other's eyes. I'm thinking of revisiting this book one day by submitting this to the book club one month. I feel the need to discuss this one.