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.

                                                                                                                                                                           

Clubbing in January -- Part 2

Overbooked members ventured into Middle-earth to kick off their second year of book discussions with The Hobbit by J R R Tolkien. The classic tale follows its hero, Bilbo Baggins, as he sets out on an adventure with thirteen militant dwarves who are searching to reclaim their treasure from Smaug, the dragon. As they continue to encounter dangers and challenges, Bilbo learns about himself and life outside his safe little hole. This is a story that can be read over and over, while getting something new out of it every time. The discussion group thoroughly enjoyed it and gave a strong 4.5 rating to this classic. 

Young Soul Readers discussed I'm the Girl by Courtney Summers for their January selection. Georgia Avis might only be sixteen years old, but she has high hopes of escaping the poverty she was born into. Her dreams of the beautiful life she thinks she deserves are interrupted when she discovers the dead body of another teen. Georgia teams up with the victim's sister, Nora, to solve the crime and the two find themselves in a world of immense wealth and privilege. While she's witnessing all she thought she ever wanted, she also learns the dangers that can accompany such a lifestyle. The discussion group enjoyed the book and gave it a solid 3.7 rating. 

The Readers discussion group chose a fantasy for their first discussion of 2024. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alex E. Harrow follows January Scallar as she grows from a young ward of Mr. Locke, who is aptly named since he basically locks her away when he learns of her special powers to see doors to other worlds. Encountering dangers and adventures behind each new door, January finds new purpose in her life as she waits to be reunited with her family, from whom Mr. Locke has desperately tried to keep her separated. The Readers found the concept of this novel intriguing and gave it a strong 4.33 rating. 
 

Clubbing in January -- Part 1

The Night Owls kicked off their 2024 discussions in January with Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sustanto. This comical first book in a series received a 3.2 out of five stars, meaning the majority of members liked it. Main character, Maddeline Chan finds herself in quite the predicament when her blind date ends up dead and her mother and aunties concoct a plan to dispose of the bodies. The Chans have a family wedding business, and they can't let a pesky dead body in their cooler throw a wrench into their success. While they try to figure out a solution to this farce, Maddeline runs into an old flame, which only complicates things more. Some discussion members liked the slap-stick comedy, likening it to a Weekend at Bernie's kind of situation, while other members thought a lot of it was just absurd and hard to believe ever happening. The aunties were definitely the highlight of the book. 

The Questers discussed The Last Lecture in January. Professor Randy Pausch was told he only had months to live when diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. While many teachers offer up inspirational words of wisdom in what is known as their last lecture, his was literally, his last opportunity to tell his students, his children, and the world what he had learned. In this book, the reader gets a glimpse into that lecture and the thoughts and actions behind his words. While the Questers found the book generally inspiring, some had a hard time reading it, as it hit a bit too close to home. Many members agreed that it could be read differently at different stages of life, and also thought it would make a great graduation gift. Overall, the group gave it 3.68 stars.

Once Upon a Crime members began a new year of discussions with Cat about Town by Cate Conte. It is the first novel in this cozy mystery series. When Maddie James opens a cat cafe, she is not prepared for one of her new feline friends to stumble upon the dead body of the town bully. She's gone from the cat-whisperer to the main suspect, while still managing to attract two eligible bachelors who are trying to woo her. This is the perfect read to curl up under a blanket and enjoy a touch of mystery, a touch of humor, and a touch of romance. The discussion group gave it a 3.7 rating.
 

The Readers -- December 20, 2023

 

The Readers met on December 20 to discuss The Boat of Dreams, A Christmas Story, by Richard Preston. The story, which was originally written for the author's friend who was dying of breast cancer, centers on the Foster family in a Maine lobster town. Sarah Ann and her two children, Will and Lila, live in a small trailer and are struggling to make ends meet. They have recently received news that Will Sr, has been lost in the Vietnam conflict and they are on the verge of losing their home. The children come home one day to find a grouchy, smelly old man in their trailer, whom they soon come to realize is actually Santa Claus. Due to a crash with the Hoover Dam, he will now need their help, as well as their father's boat, to deliver dreams for Christmas.

The group gave the book an overall rating of 3.17. While the book was void of the usual sweetness found in Christmas books, it was not overly uplifting either. It was confusing as to whether or not the author wanted us to believe that the stranger was Santa Claus or God. It was hard to picture Santa guzzling beer from a recliner while watching a soap opera. There were some touching moments in the book, like when the local fisherman refused to let the Foster family lose their boat, and when Lila gave up her favorite stuffed animal to another child, but all in all, it was just an ok read with an ending that felt like no more than a footnote.

Questers -- December 13, 2023

The Questers ended 2023 on a high note with a book almost everyone in the group liked. The Music of Bees by Eileen Garvin received 3.6 stars.

The book introduces readers to three main characters: Alice, Jake, and Harry. All three have experienced great loss, loneliness, and grief, but when their lives surprisingly intersect on Alice's bee farm, we see a beautiful friendship develop. As the bees are threatened by the newest chemicals being used by local farms, the three misfits band together to help the bees, their community, and each other. 
 

The Questers agreed that this was a pleasant read with very likable characters. When we put the book down, we felt good about what we read. It also provided a lot of interested information about bee keeping and bees in general. There was just enough conflict to make it interesting without leaving the reader feeling a lot of angst.