August 2019 Host:  Stephanie

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

Summary

This is a fun Agatha Christie like mystery and the main character, Lo Blacklock, is a journalist for a travel magazine and lands an assignment that puts her on a luxury cruise with a handful of other travelers.  Lo has a ton of personal issues such as depression, boyfriend issues, and drinks more than she should.  Her psychological issues are brought to the fore when her apartment is broken into just before she leaves for the cruise.  On her first night on the cruise, she is awoken in the middle of the night and goes out to her balcony and thinks she sees a body in the water.  She lets others know on the ship, but they don’t believe her as there is no one missing from the ship.  This is a very addictive mystery and you won’t know who the real killer is until the very end.  Highly recommend for mystery buffs.

Menu

Grilled Chicken and Cheesy Brats

Squash Casserole

Pasta Salad

Fruit Salad

Carrot Cake

June 2019 Host:  Sarah

Educated by Tara Westover

Summary

This is a true story of a woman growing up off-the-grid with no birth certificate or education in a survivalist family in rural Idaho.  Some members of the family are violent and some mentally unstable.  The father inflicts his madness and violence on the family and a brother inflicts his brutal terrorism on members of the family.  Some of the seven siblings try to flee this madness but often fail.  This novel is at times difficult to read as she recalls terrible accidents at her father’s scrapyard, on the highway, and at construction sites.  Eventually the author goes to college and for the first time learns about the civil rights movement, feminism, and the holocaust.  She struggled to learn the simplest skills of being a college student but eventually goes on to earn her Ph.d.  She continues to love her parents and struggles to understand the huge differences between herself and her deranged and domineering father as well as her brother and mother who played dominant roles in her upbringing.  Although at times disturbing, this book gives you much to think about and will stay with you for a long time.

Menu

Vodka Lemonade

Ham hock and Mashed Potato Pizze

Raspberry Delight