Clubbing in June -- Part 2

 

The Readers discussed What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty for the June meeting. When 39-year-old Alice wakes up in a hospital after bumping her head in the gym, she is shocked to learn that she has lost 10 years of her memory. She thinks she's still 29, happily married, and expecting her first baby. None of those things are true, and as she and those around her adjust to the shock, she must decide if she likes the new Alice everyone is telling her about, or if she wants to regain the old Alice and the life she remembers.

The Readers enjoyed the twists and turns of this book as the main character truly must rediscover herself. It earned a strong 3.4 rating.

The Questers discussed The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah for the June meeting. Set during the Great Depression, the reader follows Elsa and her children from Texas to California as they try to escape the suffocating drought that is devastating the nation. Grit, determination, and heartbreak are all themes running through this novel.

The Questers agreed that the book was well written, but incredibly depressing. While readers were prepared for sadness in a book set during this time, it was a bit overwhelming. They gave the book three out of five stars. 

The Young Soul Readers discussed You Will Be Mine by Natasha Preston for the June meeting. Lylah and her friends are looking forward to a night out partying until one of them comes up missing. When a note arrives implying more members of the friend group will meet the same fate, life as they knew it takes a turn and might never be the same. 

The Young Soul Readers were not very intrigued by this young adult mystery and gave it a lowly two stars. 

Clubbing in June -- Part 1

Overbooked discussed Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg for their June meeting. Readers can always count on Fannie Flagg to deliver a folksy, feel good read. In this novel, we're introduced to Mrs. Threadgoode who is telling her life story to Evelyn. During her story, we meet Idgie and Ruth, who ran a little restaurant back in the thirties that saw a multitude of adventures, including murder. 

The Overbooked members gave the book a 3.8 average rating. They enjoyed the light-hearted humor, as well as the sprawling cast of characters in the small southern town of Whistle Stop. While the structure of the book can sometimes make it a little hard to keep track of the story's timeline -- especially if you are listening to the audiobook--members all agreed that it is still a book they would recommend to others, especially to fans of the movie adaptation. 

Once Upon a Crime members discussed On Borrowed Crime by Kate Young in June. This is the first installment of the Jane Doe Book Club Mystery series. Living in the quaint town of Sweet Mountain, Georgia, Lyla Moody is not only a member of a true crime group called Jane Doe, she's also a receptionist at her uncle's private investigation firm. The two roles collide when a member of her true crime group turns up dead and Lyla's best friend is the main suspect. A dash of romance, a little suspense, and a splash of murder makes this cozy mystery a winner. Once Upon a Crime members gave this novel a 3.7 rating.

The Night Owls discussed Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby during the June meeting. Ike Randolph and Buddy Lee had two things in common: they were both ex-cons and their sons were married to each other when they were murdered. Ike and Buddy team up on a quest for revenge and soon face their own prejudices about their sons and each other. 

The Southern noir crime novel was not what discussion members were expecting and, admittedly, not a genre many members would choose to read on their own. At times uncomfortable to read, members agreed that not all stories have to be palatable in order to be well-written and impactful when dealing with difficult  subject matters that most people shy away from discussing. Some members felt that the author sometimes used odd word choices they felt were not authentic to a character. However, overall, the book received a favorable review with most members appreciating the author's willingness to tackle such heavy topics. The Night Owls gave this book a 3.2 rating. 

 

Clubbing in May -- Part Two

The Night Owls read The 100-Year Old Man who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson for the May discussion. The nursing home that Allan Karlsson lives in is about to throw him a birthday party to celebrate his 100th year. Allan has other plans though. He sneaks out the window and sets off on a journey filled with surprises and dangers. The reader soon learns that his life was already filled with great historical events and this is just a continuation of a remarkable life. The consensus from the Night Owls was that the hijinks-filled book was an enjoyable comedic read and very reminiscent of the movie adaptation of Forrest Gump. It is a perfect read for fans of Swedish authors like Fredrik Backman.

The Readers discussed The Curious Case of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick for the May discussion. Arthur Pepper is a lovable widow who struggles to find his place in the world after his beloved wife dies. When he discovers a charm bracelet that belonged to her, he sets off on an adventure to learn the significance of each of the charms, none of which he has ever seen before. As he gets to know a side of his wife he never knew, he grows and learns more about himself as well. The discussion group enjoyed the book and gave it a strong 3.83 rating. They really liked watching Arthur travel from one adventure to another.

The Young Soul Readers read The Problem with Forever by Jennifer Armentrout for the May discussion. Mallory Dodge experienced a living nightmare four years ago and has tried to fly under the radar since then, saying as little as possible. Now, she enters a public school for her senior year after being homeschooled for years. When she reconnects with Rider, her childhood friend, she realizes they are both grappling with lingering scars from their pasts. This is a strong, well-written novel about friendship and survival. The Young Soul Readers gave it 2.5 stars.

Clubbing in May -- Part 1

The Questers discussed The Maid by Nita Prose in May. The first book in a series, this mystery follows efficient and etiquette driven Molly Gray as she cleans rooms at The Regency Grand Hotel. The reader soon realizes through a series of conversations and events that Molly is probably on the spectrum and takes words at their literal meanings and trusts people to be honest when representing themselves to her. This leads to big trouble for her when she discovers a guest at the hotel has died under suspicious circumstances and she is the pain suspect. 
The Questers found Molly to be endearing and rooted for her to find happiness at the end. The group agreed that the many red herrings planted by the author were very good distractions and there were surprises at the end that no one saw coming. The book received a 3.5 rating from the group. 

Overbooked discussed The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan in May. The book follows two generations of women. The mothers are Chinese born immigrants to San Francisco, while the daughters are American born. The reader sees the painful memories and experiences of these women, as well as their hope for the future, through the perspectives of both generations.

Overbooked members generally enjoyed the novel, but agreed that the various points of views and character names often made it hard to keep track of people and events. The group gave the book a 3.5 rating. 

Once Upon a Crime members read The Library Book by Susan Orlean for May. This nonfiction book is based on the true story surrounding the mystery of a 1986 fire at the Los Angeles Public Library. This catastrophic event damaged and destroyed over a million books. Arson was suspected, but never proven. The reader is not only left trying to figure out how and why this happened, but is also given a glimpse into the crucial role libraries play in our communities and society.

The discussion group gave this title a 3.5 rating.

Clubbing in April -- Part 2

The Questers discussed Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt for the April discussion. Main character Tova Sullivan has dealt with a lot of heartbreak in her life, losing both her son and her husband. She still has a group of friends that look out for her though, and she still supports herself with a custodial job in the local aquarium. That is where she meets Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus and one of the most interesting characters a fan of fiction will ever encounter.

With interesting narration, the reader understands how smart Marcellus is, even if he does have a hard time understanding some of our human characteristics. As their bond grows, Marcellus helps Tova understand what happened many years ago when her son tragically disappeared on the cusp of adulthood. The Questers enjoyed the book and rewarded it with a strong 4.1 rating. 

The Readers discussed Only the Beautiful by Susan Meissner for the April discussion. The book is set between 1938 and 1947 with the earlier years focusing on Rosie in the United States, and the later years focusing on Helen in Europe. Rosie is a teenager who loses her family to an accident and is taken in by her employers. Remembering her instructions from her parents throughout her childhood, Rosie tries to make it to adulthood without anyone finding out what makes her different. Being "different" in 1939 was a very dangerous trait, even in the United States. 

Helen is the sister of Rosie's employer and she left for Europe years ago to be a nanny. She considers the families she works for to be her own. When Hitler begins to invade the continent though, a child she tends is in grave danger. The decisions Helen makes to keep Brigitta safe have life altering consequences. 

The Readers gave the book a 4.33 rating. 

The Young Soul Readers discussed It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini for the April discussion. The story follows teenager Craig Gilner as his perfectly planned life begins to crumble into failure and depression. After a near suicide, he ends up in a mental hospital, where he meets a variety of new people with new problems. While this is a serious novel about mental illness, it has funny moments of levity also.

The discussion group gave this a generous three stars, as most members had a hard time finishing it and suggested a potential reader just skip it. 

Clubbing in April -- Part 1

 

Overbooked read Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt for the April discussion. This memoir describes the author's upbringing in New York and Ireland. Detailing the hardships of his childhood, the book follows his mother, Angela, as she worked to provide for a family whose alcoholic father kept bringing them to the brink of disaster. It chronicles the daily battles for survival, but also provides some inspiration as a story of courage. 

The discussion group gave the book a 2.4 rating. They agreed it was a bit of a downer for most members, but they praised the author's writing skills and his ability to inject levity throughout parts of the story. 

The Night Owls read The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green for the April discussion. While Green is best known for his fiction, he adapted is podcast into this series of essays that review different aspects of humanity during this geologic era known as The Anthropocene Era. He uses his remarkable story-telling talent, mixed with humor and wit, to explore our place of belonging in this ever-changing world.

The discussion group gave this book four out of five stars. Members enjoyed the trivia-like aspect of the author's essays, as well as his writing style and sense of humor. 

Once Upon a Crime book discussion members read The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill for April. The beautiful Boston Public Library is the setting for this mystery. While people enjoy the quiet and peaceful reading room, the tranquility is suddenly shattered by a woman's screams and an apparent murder. The reader is left wondering which of the four main characters is the murderer. 

The discussion group gave this a strong 3.7 rating. 

Clubbing in March -- Part 2

 

The Questers discussed Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus in March. Set in the 1960s, this novel reminds readers of a time when women were not expected to excel at work, and if they did, they were supposed to allow their male counterparts to take the credit for their hard work. The main character, Elizabeth Zott, is a highly intelligent chemist who falls in love with Nobel Prize nominee Calvin Evans. Their quirky relationship works because they respect each other, even if no one else does. When tragedy strikes though, Elizabeth finds herself hosting a cooking show where she uses her genius to create recipes, as well as havoc among her female audience. 

The Questers enjoyed this book and found it had a nice balance between humor and more significant, though-provoking themes. The group gave the novel 3.8 stars.

The Young Soul Readers discussed The Final Six by Alexandra Monir in March. This is a futuristic novel focusing on brilliant teenagers being sent on a mission to establish a new colony on Jupiter's moon. Leo, a championship swimmer form Italy, and Naomi, an Iranian-American science genius, team up to save the human race from an already damaged Earth. As they train for a mission that literally holds the survival of the human race in the balance, the two grow together with a deep bond. Aware of a failed mission from the previous attempt, the two face the pressures of success, as well as figuring out who they can trust. This novel has readers on the edge of their seats. The Young Soul Readers gave this book 3.3 stars.

The Readers discussed The River by Peter Heller in March. Set on the Maskwa River in Canada, this adventure novel follows two friends, Wynn and Jack. They embark on what should be a relaxing wilderness experience where they look forward to unplugging from the world for a while. However, when a wildfire threatens their path, it turns into a fight for survival. 

The Readers found the book to be exciting and gave it a strong 3.45 rating. 

Clubbing in March -- Part 1

Once Upon A Crime members discussed And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie in March. This wildly popular mystery has stood the test of time, reaching new audiences with each passing decade. When ten strangers find themselves in an unfamiliar mansion, their curiosity soon turns to dread and fear. First, the unseen voice speaking to them peaks their curiosity, but when one person is found dead, they all wonder if they are about to meet the same fate. The discussion group enjoyed this book, as generations before them have, giving it 4.5 stars.

Overbooked members gave The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon a 3.9 star rating. As a teenage boy with Asperger's investigates the murder of a neighbor's dog, the reader will experience a myriad of emotions. The consensus from the discussion group was that the book was a fascinating look into how someone with autism views the world and a heartbreaking reminder of the challenges with which they are confronted. 

The Night Owls discussion group gave Only the Beautiful a solid 3.6 star rating. The book is set between 1938 and 1947 with the earlier years focusing on Rosie in the United States, and the later years focusing on Helen in Europe. Rosie is a teenager who loses her family to an accident and is taken in by her employers. Remembering her instructions from her parents throughout her childhood, Rosie tries to make it to adulthood without anyone finding out what makes her different. Being "different" in the 1939 was a very dangerous trait, even in the United States. 

Helen is the sister of Rosie's employer and she left for Europe years ago to be a nanny. She considers the families she works for to be her own. When Hitler begins to invade the continent though, a child she tends is in grave danger. The decisions Helen makes to keep Brigitta safe have life altering consequences. 

While the majority of Night Owls members seemed to enjoy the book, some felt the author just kept piling trauma after trauma onto characters for shock value only then to try and fix everyone and everything with what felt like a tacked-on epilogue. 

Clubbing in February -- Part 2

The Questers discussed Only the Beautiful by Susan Meissner in February. The book is set between 1938 and 1947 with the earlier years focusing on Rosie in the United States, and the later years focusing on Helen in Europe. Rosie is a teenager who loses her family to an accident and is taken in by her employers. Remembering her instructions from her parents throughout her childhood, Rosie tries to make it to adulthood without anyone finding out what makes her different. Being "different" in the 1939 was a very dangerous trait, even in the United States. 

Helen is the sister of Rosie's employer and she left for Europe years ago to be a nanny. She considers the families she works for to be her own. When Hitler begins to invade the continent though, a child she tends is in grave danger. The decisions Helen makes to keep Brigitta safe have life altering consequences. 

Only the Beautiful is a profound story of a dark time in history, making for a deep and thoughtful discussion for the Questers. They gave the book a solid four stars.

 

The Young Soul Readers discussed You Have a Match by Emma Lord in February. This is a cute coming of age tale set at a summer camp with a splash of social media stardom. When Abby finds out she has an older sister she never knew about, and that this older sister happens to be an Instagram star, her life and her potential romance with long-time best friend Leo, is thrown into a tailspin. While trying to unravel the mysterious reasons her parents gave her sister up for adoption, Abby realizes there are many more ups, downs, and surprises that need to be embraced if one is to truly experience life. 

The Young Soul Readers gave the book a respectable three stars.

The Readers discussed Recitatif by Toni Morrison in February. Morrison weaves a story of two girls thrown together as roommates in a girls' shelter when they were eight years old. As the reader gets to know Twyla and Roberta, we know that one girl is white and one is black, but we don't know which is which. After they grow up and lost track of each other for years, they are finally reunited. Separated by experiences, opinions, and conflicts, there is still an undeniable bond that was forged when they were young girls. 

This edition of Recitatif had an introduction that was almost as long as the book itself, and The Readers felt like it told them all about the story before they even read it. The discussion group gave it a struggling 2.2 stars and put it in the "don't bother" category. 

Clubbing in February -- Part 1

Overbooked discussion club members discussed James Baldwin's classic, If Beale Street Could Talk, for their February meeting. This is one of the twentieth century's most memorable novels and is considered by some to be the best novel ever written by the brilliant James Baldwin. 

What could have been a sweet love story between Tish and Fonny, takes a sad turn when Fonny is accused of a crime he didn't commit. Baldwin takes the reader on a roller-coaster of emotions as Fonny's family and Tish try to clear his name, hoping their love can survive.

The novel received an overall 3.8 positive rating from the Overbooked group. Members agreed that Baldwin's book is of important literary merit but also acknowledged that parts of it could be difficult to read. 

The Night Owls enjoyed discussing The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion for their February meeting. The light-hearted story follows socially awkward Don, a professor of genetics, and Rosie, a fiery and charismatic barmaid, as they each search for something special in their lives. Don is looking for a wife; Rosie is looking for her father. While completely incompatible according to Don's sixteen page scientific survey, the two develop a chemistry that defies mathematical formulas. 

Readers who are looking for a book that marries humor and romance, will be pleased with this novel. The Night Owls gave it a solid four out of five stars. 

Once Upon a Crime book club members discussed Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo for their February meeting. Castillo once again shows her expertise in writing about the Amish life and landscape while mixing in suspense and intrigue. This time, the protagonist, Katie Burkholder, returns to her hometown over fifteen years after leaving the Amish life for a big-city life in law enforcement. As the new police chief of Painter's Creek, Ohio, her first task is to solve a murder and prevent anyone else from meeting the same fate as the victim. Secrets are exposed and relationships are betrayed in this sizzling crime thriller.

The Once Upon a Crime members found the book riveting and gave it a very high rating of 4.7 stars.