book club

S.J. Watson's Before I go to Sleep


Christine wakes up every morning in an unfamiliar bed with an unfamiliar man. She looks in the mirror and sees an unfamiliar, middle- aged face. And every morning, the man she has woken up with must explain that he is Ben, he is her husband, she is forty-seven years old, and a terrible accident two decades earlier decimated her ability to form new memories.
But it’s the phone call from a Dr. Nash, a neurologist who claims to be working with Christine without her husband’s knowledge, that directs her to her journal, hidden in the back of her closet. For the past few weeks, Christine has been recording her daily activities—tearful mornings with Ben, sessions with Dr. Nash, flashes of scenes from her former life—and rereading past entries, relearning the facts of her life as retold by the husband she is completely dependent upon. As the entries build up, Christine asks many questions. What was life like before the accident? Why did she and Ben never have a child? What has happened to Christine’s best friend? And what exactly was the horrific accident that caused such a profound loss of memory?
Every day, Christine must begin again the reconstruction of her past. And the closer she gets to the truth, the more un- believable it seems.
(thanks to her website)

I can't imagine being this character, what a crazy experience to wake up everyday and be confused/lost/forgetful of everything!  I guessed the overall ending at the start though there were some twists I didn't see. Talk about being taken advantage of;towards the end I was sorta over all the secrets being spilled and being told one thing wasn't what we thought. Although it was slow at the start.had some awkward moments and dragged on it at points it did have me want to read to the end. It is different than what I normally read;I give it a C.

Shawn Johnson's autobiography, Winning Balance

You’ve seen her perform gravity-defying gymnastics moves. You’ve seen her win Olympic medals in Beijing and the coveted mirror ball trophy on Dancing with the Stars. You’ve also seen her land on her feet—with her trademark smile—even when things haven’t gone her way.
Despite achieving more success and celebrity in her first two decades than most people experience in a lifetime, things haven’t been easy for Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson. Her first gymnastics coach told her family she lacked talent. Her modest upbringing in Iowa made elite competition unlikely. Although she won four medals at the Beijing Olympics, she was denied the big prize she’d dreamed of—the all-around gold medal. She had a terrifying experience with a stalker and would-be kidnapper. And after suffering a potentially career-ending injury, Shawn ultimately had to rethink what was truly important. What did she want most in life? What kind of success was worth pursuing? Would she ever find true faith, lasting hope, and real love?
(thanks to her website)

I really enjoyed learning more about Shawn, gymnastics, the Olympics and the way she became so involved in gymnastics. It was fun to read about her DWTS season too and what she felt Hollywood was like compared to her mid-western upbringing. This is a great look into what is important to Shawn and what always has been: her family, loving what she does and gymnastics. I think it is a wonderful book for young girls to read especially. I give this an A.


******
Happy Reading!
Thanks,Heather!