Commencement Reading Schedule

Hi, blogging book clubbers! Rachel and I are so excited that you decided to read with us again as we tackle Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan.

We decided to speed up the reading process for this book, but are still trying to be mindful of everyone's schedule. Some readers are able to finish a book in one day while others may take a couple of weeks to finish.

Commencement will be split up in two parts, just as the book was written.

The questions for each section will be posted as follows:

October 3- Part One

October 11- Part Two

We'll be posting questions on Sunday again and we'll all link up the following Monday. So look for the first set of questions on October 3.

We hope you all enjoy this book!

Book #2 Announcement (in vlog form!)

Hello beautiful book clubbers...watch the video below for our big announcement.

Book Club! from Rachel W on Vimeo.

(My thoughts on this video: too many "umms" and "so yeah's," and I should have used a word other than "chunks." This was my first vlog!)

Anyhow...the important stuff...

Buy the book:
Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Target, or get it used at Half.com

Extra Info:
We'll post the first round of questions on October 3. Linky will go up October 4.

Check back soon to see how we're going to break down the book. It will most likely be in two sections.

A Review

Now that this fun blogging book club has made it through our first book together, I wanted to throw out some questions for y'all to answer just so we can get a little bit of feedback before we start the next book.

Don't forget to vote on your choice for the next book. You can vote in the poll in the right sidebar. NOTE: If we end up reading The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, we'll probably need to read the whole series together. How does everyone feel about that? I'm okay with it, but I wanted to check because it's kind of a big commitment.

1. What did you think about the process of the blogging book club? Do you feel like you got to interact well with the other bloggers through the Linky system? Did you enjoy reading other posts?

2. What did you think about the reading schedule? Should we keep it about the same? Speed it up? Space it out more? I know with CeeCee Wilkes, a lot of you read ahead and I ended up reading to the end about two weeks ago because I couldn't force myself to stop!

3. Let us know how you think we can make this a better experience for you.

Remember, you're not required to participate with every book. If you need to take a break at any point, you're welcome to and you can jump back in with the next book. We just have this here for you and to provide a discussion place.

Also, if you don't have a blog but want to answer the questions, feel free to do so in the comments section on this blog under the discussion question posts.

Thanks for playing along with us! This has been so much fun for me and I know it has been lots of fun for Rachel, too.

Erin's Response to Chapters 51-70

1. At the end we find out Tim was sending Cory money because he thought she could be his daughter since he was having an affair with Genevieve. Did you see this coming?

I didn't see it at all! I mean, there was something suspicious about Genevieve's reaction to Tim and that she didn't seem overly afraid of him when we met her. And I never thought Tim was sending money to CeeCee/Eve because he felt bad for getting her into this situation. I am glad, though, that we know his reasons.

2. By the end of the story, what were your feelings about Eve? How had they changed since the beginning?

At the end, I was happy that she received some closure. That she was able to finally be honest about her life, but I feel sorry for her. I feel like she was just completely broken and now she'll spend her life being the open and honest person she always wanted to be. She showed tremendous courage when she confessed her crimes, but she had to go through some awful stuff to get to where she is in the end.

3. Were you happy with the way President Russel treated Cory?

I thought he was completely fair. He wanted justice for his wife and his family. He didn't know the other side of the story, but I don't know if I'd want the other side of the story, either, if my spouse died and someone took my child. I'd want to put my family back together as best I could. I think Ken was the one to blame, though, for putting bad ideas into President Russell's head about Eve. What a snake!

But President Russell was really commendable in the end when he shorted Eve's sentence for his daughter's sake.

4. If you were in Cory's shoes and had just found out all of this about the woman who raised you and who you believed to be your mother, how would you react? Would you forgive?

I think I'd eventually forgive. Cory was right to be shocked and angry. She felt like her whole life was a lie. But Eve was the other mother she knew and every girl needs her mother. I'm glad that she was able to forgive enough to hear Eve's side of the story so she could get a little bit of perspective.

5. In your mind, how does this story end? Do they all live happily ever after? Does Cory go on having relationships with her old family and her new family?

I think Cory ends up splitting time between visiting the Russells and visiting her family. She is doing a great job raising her son and has a great relationship with her mother. I think that Eve is finally able to be happy and honest about her life and not feel like she's always running and hiding.

6. How do you think Cory has changed throughout the story? Have your feelings about her changed?

She has definitely gotten more brave and more independent. She sees that she has to be her own person and she can't blame her upbringing and her family for all of her faults.

Rachel's Response to Chapters 51-71

We have a new button on our sidebar made by Lindsey at Sweet Simplicity Designs. Feel free to take it and add it to your own blog!

Also, be sure to vote in our poll for our next book...you can find that poll on the sidebar.

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1. At the end we find out Tim was sending Cory money because he thought she could be his daughter since he was having an affair with Genevieve. Did you see this coming?

NO way! This was a big shocker. I assumed he was the one sending money but had no idea it was because he thought the baby could be his. That really threw me for a loop.

2. By the end of the story, what were your feelings about Eve? How had they changed since the beginning?

She had a good heart. Did she make all good decisions? No, but I'm glad she came clean and could live out her life without the guilt she'd been trapped behind for years. I think the person I felt the most sorry for here was her husband. I can't imagine being married to someone for so many years and then to find out they were hiding something huge from me. I think his forgiveness of her is what might make him my favorite character from the book.

3. Were you happy with the way President Russel treated Cory?

Not at all. From the get go he was very forward with his thoughts about her mother. And I didn't like this because I knew Eve's side of the story. She did what she thought was best. She had made the mistake of getting involved with Tim, and now she was found a way to live with her mistakes. I definitely see where he and Vivian were coming from. They lost their wife and mother and that is something to be very hurt by, but to come in right off the bat and talk so badly about Eve probably wasn' the best way to handle it.

4. If you were in Cory's shoes and had just found out all of this about the woman who raised you and who you believed to be your mother, how would you react? Would you forgive?

I would probably react similar to the way Cory acted. I think it was normal for her to have os much anger and hatred toward her parents in the beginning, but like Cory I'd want to go back when that anger had worn off some to hear the real story from my mother.

5. In your mind, how does this story end? Do they all live happily ever after? Does Cory go on having relationships with her old family and her new family?

Sort of. It's not a fairy tale ending, but it's best as can be expected in a story like this. Eve was punished for her crimes, but she was done with that quickly and was ale to go back home to work things out with her family. I was happy to see Cory get rid of Ken. Uhh! Definitely one of the better parts of the book was seeing her get out of his car and leaving his life.

6. How do you think Cory has changed throughout the story? Have your feelings about her changed?

She's definitely come a long way. Leaving Ken was definitely the right thing for her to do. She is learning that she can stand on her own two feet. She doesn't need her mom or Ken to protect her from the world. She was certainly not my favorite character. She was a bit whiny and selfish through out most the book which bothered me. I know she did a good thing in the end going to talk to Russ, but that really didn't make me like her more.

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All in all, good book! On my goodreads, I gave it 4 out 5 stars. The ending was good but felt rushed. I think she could have spent a little more time going into detail. Skipping the whole trial was odd. I would have liked to have read some about that. But I loved that she had Ronnie come back to see her in the end with her mother's letters. May not have been realistic, but I liked it! I would definitely recommend this book to a friend for a quick, easy read.

Questions for Chapters 50-71

1. At the end we find out Tim was sending Cory money because he thought she could be his daughter since he was having an affair with Genevieve. Did you see this coming?

2. By the end of the story, what were your feelings about Eve? How had they changed since the beginning?

3. Were you happy with the way President Russel treated Cory?

4. If you were in Cory's shoes and had just found out all of this about the woman who raised you and who you believed to be your mother, how would you react? Would you forgive?

5. In your mind, how does this story end? Do they all live happily ever after? Does Cory go on having relationships with her old family and her new family?

6. How do you think Cory has changed throughout the story? Have your feelings about her changed?

Erin's Response to Chapters 36-50

1. Have your feelings about Tim changed through out this last section of chapters?

I think it's truly admirable that he hasn't thrown CeeCee under the bus. I still don't really trust him and I think there's a lot more that we don't know about why he wanted to kidnap Genevieve. But I do think it's really decent of him that he has decided to take the fall for this.

2. Do you agree with Cory and her behavior as an adult and her life with Ken? Is she justified in cutting her mother and father out of her life?

Oh my word! I'm so irritated with Cory. One day she wants to be her own person to escape her mother and then she's all of a sudden being "brainwashed" by her older boyfriend. I think it's good for her to distance herself a little bit to learn to stand on her feet, but to completely cut Eve out of her life is wrong and sad. And for a guy to come into his girlfriend's house and not respect her parents? I think that's about the worst.

3. At what point do you think Cory decided to spend less time with her mother?

When Cory wanted to know more about her father and her family history and Eve wouldn't really answer her questions, I think Cory started to trust her mother less and less. She started realizing that her mother was to blame for all of her insecurities and fears and wanted to do something to change her life. The downward spiral is really sad to watch because we know that all Eve wants is Cory's love. And after year's of overprotectiveness, now she has no control over her and knows nothing about her daughter's life.

4. What do you think is Eve's biggest fear?

More than spending time in jail and confessing to Dru and Jack, I think Eve is just afraid of losing Cory. I don't think she sees herself as deserving of any of the good things in her life.

5. When the story about Genevieve's body came out, what would you have done if you were Eve? Just sat back and watched things unfold? Come forward? Would you tell Jack?

I don't think I ever could have let it get this far in the first place, but when the story came out, I think I would have kept it to myself while watching things unfold. At this point, it was so long ago that she has become a completely different person. CeeCee should have confessed, but Eve shouldn't confess. I think Jack deserves to know just so Eve can get some of this off her conscience, but to risk losing everything? Just to save Tim? I don't know...

6. Do you think Eve should tell Jack and confess? Why?

Jack is supposed to be her best friend and partner and I think it will do Eve a lot of good to tell her husband. So she can talk about it with someone. The lies she has told him over the years will really upset him and their marriage may be over, but he deserves to know. And I think it will do her some good to tell him.

Rachel's Response to Chapters 36-50

This has definitely been the most suspense filled section of the book! I did not want to stop when I hit chapter 50....anyone else feel that way?

I must say, Cory and Eve are both making me very mad. I think Cory is with an awful man and I hate how Eve is making herself sick with lies. So many of their choices made me angry!

And I also need to go back to last week's question about the money that was being sent to Eve. I still think Tim sent it, but a lot of people wrote about N & F sending it. Now I am really stuck. I hope we find out before the end who the mystery sender was!

1. Have your feelings about Tim changed through out this last section of chapters?
Yes and no. All along I've thought Tim was kind of good. Back in the first set of questions I wrote about how I thought he wasn't all bad and sketchy. It's looking now like that might just be the truth. He could say Eve's name and get off of murder charges, but he chose not to rat her out.

2. Do you agree with Cory and her behavior as an adult and her life with Ken? Is she justified in cutting her mother and father out of her life?
Cory has made me so mad in this section! Anyone else? Her mother has definitely been over bearing for most of Cory's life, but to completely cut her out? It makes me sad. I think Ken may love her, but he also seems like the kind of guy who just wants control over a woman. Especially based on chapter 1 of the book where we learn he doesn't want her keeping the baby. He's not a good guy.

3. At what point do you think Cory decided to spend less time with her mother?
It seems like it was starting in her teens, the more she questioned her father and who he was. I felt like she wasn't trusting her mother. And once she went away to UNC it all went downhill.

4. What do you think is Eve's biggest fear?
Losing Cory! Which is sad, because I think she's much more afraid of that than losing Dru or Jack.

5. When the story about Genevieve's body came out, what would you have done if you were Eve? Just sat back and watched things unfold? Come forward? Would you tell Jack?
I would have come forward, up front. I couldn't let the guilt eat away at me like that. but then again, I also would have come forward early on, when Cory was still a baby. Her lies have been woven into such an intricate web that things are spiraling out her control. She's certainly not in a position I'd ever want to face.

6. Do you think Eve should tell Jack and confess? Why?
YES. Jack needs to know. He obviously won't be happy, but he has a right to know. It may end her marriage, but he deserves the truth. She is blatantly lying to him more and more as the book moves on. That's no way to have a marriage.

Discussion Questions for Chapters 36 - 50

It's been a busy holiday weekend for both Erin and me! That's why they didn't go up yesterday. We'd still love to hear your response to this section of the book even if you're posting later in the day. Happy reading!


1. Have your feelings about Tim changed through out this last section of chapters?

2. Do you agree with Cory and her behavior as an adult and her life with Ken? Is she justified in cutting her mother and father out of her life?

3. At what point do you think Cory decided to spend less time with her mother?

4. What do you think is Eve's biggest fear?

5. When the story about Genevieve's body came out, what would you have done if you were Eve? Just sat back and watched things unfold? Come forward? Would you tell Jack?

6. Do you think Eve should tell Jack and confess? Why?