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.