The Graveyard Book -Neil Gaiman

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Great book for all ages especially kids!
We picked this book for our book club for October based on the theme of Halloween. 
Reading this book was like reading a long children's book. There are pictures, the protagonist is a child and you grow up with him as he experiences the world around him. You get lost in the world that Gaiman has created and he leaves you wanting more. 
The color that best describes this book is gray. I imagined everything in different shades of gray because of its unusual setting. The grayness adds to the spooky Halloween feelings but in no way do you feel scared or haunted. Another Halloween aspect is all of the different mythical creatures that show up. You either discover their friendliness or come to understand them based on their character therefore dissolving their mystery.
The ending is peculiar because from one stand point it is the ending is everything you wanted while also leaving you feeling as if someone has died. 
It is a great book for the whole family. Just because it is no longer Halloween doesn't mean you can experience it for yourself. 

TRUTHWITCH - Susan Dennard

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This is our book-club book for the month of October.We try to switch up the genres to give us a better variety. We went with fantasy, which is the genre I prefer and always seem to fall back on. In fantasy, there are so many fun ways to explore the imagination giving us new scenarios that have never before been discovered.
Truthwitch is the first book in the Witchlands Series.

When starting this book, it is a little confusing because there is no introduction or explanation about this new world of fantasy world. The reader is forced to put the picture together from the clues given, making you confused for the first couple chapters before the pieces start to fall into place, after that the story starts to flow and the world solidifies. The characters are strong and robust with strengths and weaknesses open to development.
The story is fun and unpredictable. Dennard does a great job at surprising you with the little happenings between the characters thereby distracting you to the shifts in plot leaving you pleasantly satisfied. 
There is a lively romance that doesn't overpower the plot which gives us a refreshing insight to the characters as well. 
After completing the book, we are left with unanswered questions about the details of the world which ruffles the feathers a bit. Knowing this is the first book of many more to come, I am filled with anticipation knowing that Dennard will reveal mysteries later weaving the books together beautifully. All good series must have a strong anchor as the first book in order for the sequels to add depth and complexity to the series as a whole. I have a feeling that the sequels will surpass this debut and as the readers we will want to reread Truthwitch again to see where it all started.
Next month's Book for the book-club is The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Feel free to read as with us and give your own comments! 

Devil In The White City -Erik Larson

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Some friends and I go together and started a book club. I have the habit of reading the same genre of books and not branching out like I should and so I thought a book club would give me ample motivation plus it it a marvelous excuse to talk about books. 

The book for September was Devil In The White City, a historical non-fiction, took place during 1890's in Chicago.

I have to admit, I have never read a book like this before and I have no regrets. Not only was I captured by the story but I was learning so many things about the history of my country. 

It is written like a novel, and there are quotes throughout the book signifying all the references to his sources. 

It follows two story lines: a prominent architect building the city up to glory, and a serial killer ruining the its prestige through manipulation and murder.

The architect had to deal with the government and different workers union on a time crunch for his project that had an effect on history. It is interesting to note that Chicago is not know today as the white city, and I will allow you to make your own conclusions for yourself. 

This serial killer occurs slightly after the debacle of Jack the Ripper in London who was never caught and everyone thought there was no way it could happen to them. It was also very enlightening as a women to see the tactics used by the serial  killer to seduce unsuspecting women to their demise. It was fascinating to observe his character and compare it with what we know today about psychopaths. But I will let you come to your own conclusions.