The Christmas Sweater

I have been in the holiday spirit this weekend so for our next book I have picked The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck. Yes, it is the same Glenn Beck that has his own political show on CNN Headline News. I was actually surprised when I saw that he wrote this book. On a side note, I did find a Korean novel, but thought this would be better for this time of year.



If You Could Change Your Life by Reversing Your Biggest Regrets, Sorrows and Mistakes...Would You?

#1 New York Times bestselling author and renowned radio and television host Glenn Beck delivers an instant holiday classic about boyhood memories, wrenching life lessons, and the true meaning of the gifts we give to one another in love.

We weren't wealthy, we weren't poor -- we just were. We never wanted for anything, except maybe more time together....

When Eddie was twelve years old, all he wanted for Christmas was a bike. Although his life had gotten harder -- and money tighter -- since his father died and the family bakery closed...Eddie dreamed that somehow his mother would find a way to have his dream bike gleaming beside their modest Christmas tree that magical morning.

What he got from her instead was a sweater. "A stupid, handmade, ugly sweater" that young Eddie left in a crumpled ball in the corner of his room.

Scarred deeply by the realization that kids don't always get what they want, and too young to understand that he already owned life's most valuable treasures, that Christmas morning was the beginning of Eddie's dark and painful journey on the road to manhood. It will take wrestling with himself, his faith, and his family -- and the guidance of a mysterious neighbor named Russell -- to help Eddie find his path through the storm clouds of life and finally see the real significance of that simple gift his mother had crafted by hand with love in her heart.

Based on a deeply personal true story, The Christmas Sweater is a warm and poignant tale of family, faith and forgiveness that offers us a glimpse of our own lives -- while also making us question if we really know what's most important in them.

Hope you enjoy...

Ending...

I, like Kelli, was amazed with this book and especially the ending. I did not see it coming. Well, I was wishing through the whole book tha Vix and Gus would get together, and my wish came true. But I never expected that Caitlin and Bru would marry and that Caitlin would run off and leave bru and their daughter. I am still confused as why Bru is not raising their daughter. They never explained it.

I also never thought that Caitlin would more or less commit suicide. I wonder if she will ever turn up in another book. Maybe she is hiding out somewhere.

All I can say is that Judy Blume has done it again...

Part 4 & 5

Well, I don't know about you Adriane but the last two parts of this book, all I can say is WOW!!!! It's funny how a book starts one way and you think man I have definitely figured out this book, but was I nothing but wrong!!!!

I guess I expected Caitlin to finally change her life and I expected Vix to become a successful career woman and get married, have a family and find someone who had the same expectations as her but not as it happened. Who would of thought for one, Caitlin would married Vix's "soul mate" in a sense or that Vix would of married Gus, or how about her mother actually moving out and never coming back. Or how bitter her sister had become? So many things twisted and turned that I reread some of the chapters wondering if my mind had played games on me.

Sad, but true Caitlin was mentally unstable and left her daughter, but I didn't understand why Bru didn't take over custody and then had two more children, why not take care of his other daughter too?? When Caitlin asked Vix to come visit her out of the country, I kind of got the feeling it was to say goodbye but never expected her to kill herself. She just never was happy no matter the lifestyle she had and it only caught up to her, and she felt so guilty about so many things and especially about her daughter, who she needed to leave for the betterment of her, but she never forgave herself and truly I believe that's what got her in the end.

This book was definitely one of my favorites, and would definitely recommend it for all those readers who want a good book that is hard to put down once you start!

Now it's time to start looking for our next read, looking for something different.

Until our next great find...Happy Reading!

PART 2 & 3

It's interesting how this book has really taken an interesting turn and how things changed so fast in a couple of years, but yet I guess that's what life is all about...change. Vix continued to come back to the Vineyard over the summers with Caitlin, and her family has really excepted them as one of there own as her own family had fallen apart after Nathan died. I can't imagine as a Mother, how Tawny could deal with it and how Vix handled it as she felt like she had abandoned him when he needed her most.

Then it was off to college, Harvard which Abby and Lamb had influenced her to get into a good High School and then to have the opportunity to make something of herself, while Caitlin who had the world blew her chance of being anything but a lost soul who drifted to where ever her next place took her or next man.....to me it seems she is turning into her Mother, Phoebe.

Finally, after 4 long years, her Mother is gone never to return, her sister has two children who she supports while her deadbeat husband smokes pot all day and Bru finally proposes and she thought that's what she wanted, she had an awesome job opportunity with an apartment but by the end when proposed to live a life in the Vineyard, it was just to much for both of them. It was time to say goodbye, as neither one was willing to give up their dreams....Bru being a normal guy in the Vineyard and Vix, a powerful lady in a big city.

Which makes me wonder as the beginning wonder, how in the heck did Caitlin get back to the Vineyard to marry Bru and why in the heck would Vix say yes to her true love???? Can't wait for the big finish!!!

Happy Reading!!!

DANCING QUEEN: 1977-1980

What truly got me on this book and why I ended up choosing it was because of the Author, Judy Blume. I read her as a kid and really enjoyed her books, but never knew she wrote anything other than children's book, we'll not really children's but young adult books. So with that said.....

The first part truly sets the mood for the book, or at least that's my thoughts but it sets up Vix's life and how pretty much she feels oblivious to everyone and just kind of moving along in life until she meets her friend Caitlin and her adventures begin. Vix having 3 siblings and one that is handicapped makes her to have to grow up fast because her parents both work full time, and she has to make sure everything is in order when her parents aren't there. Which I can truly relate to because my parents had a child late in life and both worked full time which meant when they weren't there I was the parent, so at 12 years old it all began for me. Which in a way allows me to be able to relate to Vix. And then her parents let her go to the ocean for the entire summer with someone she hardly knew....and in these summers it allowed her to become her and not worry about her siblings or dinner, but just about being a kid and having fun. It allowed her to as all girls do, learn from their friends because their parents are way to old to know anything....

Amazingly, her parents continue to allow her to spend the summer at "psycho house", which was something that she looked forward too every year. As they became older everything started to change and not just their bodies but Lamb got married and cleaned up the house, Vix started to meet the families and learn something knew from each new person she met. Which got me thinking, you never realize it but truly from every person you meet and get to know it changes your life or yourself in some way. Something about you changes or they teach you something, even the littlest thing and to me it's amazing that even someone so small as a newborn baby or a 2 year old can change your life in some way.

Then Abby, Caitlin's new step-mom got Vix a scholarship to a private school that Caitlin attended and again more changes as Caitlin made it quite clear that her life at school was totally different from their friendship during the summer. Which I think surprised Vix at first until school started and she understood, they were "Summer Sisters", and not that they didn't talk and be friends but it was different and to me things were going to continue to change as the book goes on.....just like in life people change and loose touch, my prediction is that is going to happen but when they need each other they'll be there for each other.....

On to Part 2......

Happy Reading!!!

Part One - Dancing Queen 1977-1980

Where do I start, my thoughts are never as provoking as Kelli's...she is just better at putting her thoughts to words. Maybe she should write a book herself.

Back to the story. Caitlin and Vix went to the same school and Caitlin chose Vix to spend the summer with her at her dad's (Lamb) house. They were not really close friends, but Vix jumped at the chance to get away for a few months from her disfunctional life. Her family was poor and she had 3 siblings, one of which had muscualar dystrophy and is confined to a wheelchair. Vix called Lamb's house the psycho house. It was vermy mismatched and not very clean.

Caitlin was more open and surprising then Vix had originally thought. They had met some older guys, Von and Bru, whom they crushed over. The first part of the book really deals with Caitlin and Vix becoming best friends and sharing all sorts for firsts with. Along with Caitlin dealing with her father remarrying and a new stepbrother and his friend. Caitlin and Vix were also dealing with growing up and being interested in sex and becoming women.

Part One ends Abby, Catilins step-mother, convincing Vix's mom to allow her to got the private high school with Caitlin on scholorship and with Lamb and Abby fighting causing all the kids to fight.

The book is getting more interesting and I am looking forward to Part Two - Rapture.

Happy Reading...

Adriane

OUR SECOND BOOK!!!

SUMMER SISTERS

BY JUDY BLUME

ABOUT THIS BOOK
In the summer of 1977, Victoria Leonard's world changed forever—when Caitlin Somers chose her as a friend. Dazzling, reckless Caitlin welcomed Vix into the heart of her sprawling, eccentric family, opening doors to a world of unimaginable privilege, sweeping her away to vacations on Martha's Vineyard, a magical, wind-blown island where two friends became summer sisters. . . .Now, years later, Vix is working in New York City. Caitlin is getting married on the Vineyard. And the early magic of their long, complicated friendship has faded. But Caitlin has begged Vix to come to her wedding, to be her maid of honor. And Vix knows that she will go—for the friend whose casual betrayals she remembers all too well. Because Vix wants to understand what happened during that last shattering summer. And, after all these years, she needs to know why her best friend—her summer sister—still has the power to break her heart....

About the Author
Judy Blume's twenty-two books, including the New York Times bestsellers Wifey and Smart Women, have sold over sixty-five million copies worldwide and have been translated into twenty languages. She spends summers on Martha's Vineyard with her family.

Adriane, I hope you like it...it'll be on it's way to you by Monday!!!!

Happy Reading!!