Lulu's Book Club review

I feel like the absent minded blogger. I am home today feeling pretty awful, sore throat, a cold, all achy...
(although the aches may be from the killer yoga class I tried yesterday) and It dawns on me..... Back in October, I blogged about my book club. I promised my few faithful readers that I would blog every 6 weeks about our new book selection, welcoming you to read along and leave comments when you finished the book.
Well, nearly 4 months later... I am FINALLY remembering to update that idea! So... After we read 'Eat, Pray,Love' our next book was 'The Double Bind' by Chris Bohjalian. Now, Our newest selection is 'Atonement' by Ian McEwan.
So many women were in love with Elizabeth Gilbert's- 'Eat, Pray, Love.' ( I know Oprah loved it!... so You should probably put your faith in her opinion.) However, Many in my club, including me, just could NOT get into this book! Maybe it was timing, it was before Christmas, I was stressed and didn't have much reading time. Every time I picked up that book and read her whining and complaining... I put it back down.( I had my own whining to do, thank you very much) The next selection was better. I don't Highly recommend it, but it was interesting that not until you totally finish the book do you realize it is worth a second read. Which brings me to- 'Atonement'. When we were trying to choose our next book... No one had read Atonement, the reviews were favorable.. so we agreed on it.
Well, absent minded me... I HAD read it, back in the summer of '06. (according to my libraries reading history) After skimming it, it is coming back to me that I didn't enjoy it.... But, I will read it again and hope I feel differently in '08! In the mean while, (on my own) I just finished 'Snow Flower and the secret fan' by Lisa See. We didn't select this story because many in the group had already read it. I absolutely LOVED it, I HIghly recommend it. A beautiful yet heartbreaking tale of two long time friends in China in the 1800's. All they endured, All the love they shared. I couldn't put this one down. I am also reading 'Pillars of the Earth' and loving it. It was my suggestion at the last meeting, but because of its length, we felt we should save this one till the summer, when everyone has more reading time. (so I guess I'm cheating). Pillars is EXcellent.. and after all these years (it was published in 1989) Ken Follett has written a sequel- 'World without End.' I am already looking forward to that one.
So this is my book club update! If you've read any of these books and would like to leave a comment with your reviews or your feelings.... I would LOVE to hear them. What I would also love & really welcome... Any GREAT suggestions for our next meeting which is on Feb. 19th. Thanks!
***Petals Picks ***
A thousand Splendid Suns, Snow Flower and the secret Fan, Pillars of the Earth