The Lone Wolf and Winter GArden

Thoughts on the Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult: The whole kit and caboodle were Lone Wolves. They each left the family unit and the whole thing fell apart. Cara was like the baby wolf who has to deal with a dysfunctional unit. To die or be accepted by a new pack or try to stick with the old pack. The son Edward runs away to hide from his troubles with the pack leader, and would not have come back if it were not for the father being in the car accident. Georgie leaves because she has a broken heart but finds and makes a new pack. Luke is the wolf, and also the main lone wolf, away from both packs that he loves and should be apart of, out on his own, dying to spare the rest of the pack. What a decision to have to make. Knowing that you have guilty feelings associated with your father, feeling that you are thrust into an uncomfortable situation. I would not like to be any of them. I liked the way you hear Luke’s thoughts even though he was not conscious. I also liked the ending with Barney, who was probably a recipient of Luke’s kidneys. Really chilling and sad. Cara-daughter Georgie- exwife Luke-wolf/father Joe-new husband and lawyer Edward-son These are my thoughts before heading to book club. This was our pick for June and I have to say that I loved the twists but thought that it would be highly unlikely for the step-father to represent his step-son when they were going against the step-daughter. I think that he should have asked a partner or another lawyer to help, as this would have affected the family dynamic and it was already dysfunctional. This leads us to the story I just finished for this months book club at the end of July. Winter Garden by Kristen Hannah. Another dysfunctional family, a mother haunted by her past in Russia. Two girls who are alienated from their mother because she refuses to love again. The father the only one handling everyone and keeping all healthy and happy, until he dies. A fairy tale that Anya the mother is telling which we later know to be her story. A happy and very sad story. Again with twists some expected, some not. I just wanted "Anya" the mother to warm to her daughters and talk to them but she cannot, she is more afraid to face lost love then to let herself love, and then when she does love them, more fates step into play. What would you do if you had loved someone with your whole heart and you thought they had died a brutal death, would you seal up your heart or would you try to love again? It is hard to say, and even harder to do, I think. I thank God that I have not had to deal with the atrocities of war. I have never had to worry about bombs falling on my head as a country fighting different regimes. WE have had different kinds of atrocities happen in the US, and wars fought in country that I was not apart of, so I do not know the grief that surrounds a parent with this type of loss. I do not know how to work so hard to keep someone alive when there is not food to be found. What I do know is that we hear of heroism in the face of danger and pray that we never have to make a decision that would mean life for one of our children and death for another. I wish no one had to face that ordeal as it is a life changer. I am hoping that my next book will be a little lighter in concepts, I think I have a few lined up.