... I've been reading a ton of books for BlogHer Book Club. And I do believe I've forgotten to link some of my reviews. (swears under breath)

First! Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks. It's historical fiction about the first Native American to graduate from Harvard.

Here's an excerpt:

Bethia and Caleb reminded me a bit of Katniss and Gale in the Hunger Games trilogy, if you're familiar with that, although this is definitely literary women's fiction and not young adult fiction. But we all love a star-crossed-friendship-maybe-based-on-sexual-attraction, don't we?

Read the rest on BlogHer

Second! Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok (spoiler alert). It's literary fiction about an immigrant Chinese girl who works in a sweatshop before entering the Ivy Leagues. (Jean Kwok is my new favorite author -- and she's become a friend.)

Here's an excerpt:

Though it's eye-opening and interesting to read about the life of a new immigrant in modern America (Kimberly's friend remarks, "people don't live this way in this country!" with the shock and dismay I felt upon reading it), the strength of Girl in Translation is the force of Kimberly and her ability to see herself for what she is and what she is not.

Read the rest on BlogHer

The stack of books in my to-read pile just keeps getting bigger and bigger. This is why I can't get into Angry Birds. What if the world ends in 2012?

She perched on my lap as I pointed to the screen. Together we watched the final pieces of BlogHer Book Club come together.

"What is it?" she asked. "It's pretty."

"It's a place where women will read books and write reviews of them for you to see. Then if the book sounds good, you can buy it with these cute little buttons."

"Who's that?" She pointed to Sassymonkey.

"She's hosting the book club. She's been writing about books for years and years. Her name is Karen."

"She has red hair, too."

"Yes."

"She's pretty, too."

"Yes. But also, very smart."

She rested her head on my shoulder. "So this is part of your job?"

"Yup."

"I want to work for the San Diego Zoo when I grow up."

"Well, you just might. Hold onto that."

We launched the book club just after she ran upstairs to take a bath. When it was all said and done, I went upstairs and ousted Beloved from the book-reading spot.

"Did it go okay?" she asked, curling up to me.

"Yes. It's gorgeous."

"Good. Now read."

And I read.

Please go check out BlogHer Book Club! Our first book is Caleb's Crossing, by Geraldine Brooks. Read my review here. It is pretty awesome, even though I'm completely biased.