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 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 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 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 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 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. 
 

Young Soul Readers -- October 16, 2023

Little & Lion is a stunning novel on love, loss, identity, and redemption written by Brandy Colbert. When Suzette comes home to Los Angeles from her boarding school in New England, she isn't sure if she'll ever want to go back. L.A. is where her friends and family are, along with her crush, Emil. Her stepbrother, Lionel, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, needs her emotional support. But as she settles into her old life, Suzette finds herself falling for someone new...the same girl her brother is in love with. When Lionel's disorder spirals out of control, Suzette is forced to confront her past mistakes and find a way to help her brother before he hurts himself--or worse.

The novel did a good job of representing multiple diverse identities, including race, sexuality, religion, disability, and non-traditional family structures. A significant theme of the novel is Suzette’s exploration of her bisexuality. This book is a recipient of the Stonewall Book Award, which recognizes exceptional LGBTQ+ literature. In addition to the diversity represented by the main characters, the peripheral characters are also diverse in race, sexuality, and ability.

Members did like how realistic this novel portrayed the different identities. However, some of them didn’t have relevance to the story causing it to be a slower read. The nonlinear narrative style was a little frustrating also. It didn’t necessarily have to be written that way for readers to understand the story. Overall, members decided, for a YA read, it was satisfactory. They rated it three out of five stars.  

 

Young Soul Readers -- August 21, 2023

On August 21^st, Young Soul Readers met to discuss My Dearest Darkest, by Kayla Cottingham. With five members attending, they rated this novel a 3.25 out of 5 stars.

This debut novel introduces readers to the isolated town of Rainwater and its main attraction—Ulalume Academy, a prestigious prep school with an arts focus that pianist Finch Chamberlin wants to attend more than anything. However, on the way back from her final audition, Finch gets into a car crash that kills her parents and that should have left her for dead. But something monstrous, ancient, and terrifying, wouldn't let her drown. Finch doesn't know why she woke up after her heart stopped, but since dying she's felt a constant pull from the school and the surrounding town of Rainwater, like something on the island is calling to her.

Three months later, she’s an Ulalume student but still suffers serious aftereffects from the accident. She’s in the same year as Selena St. Clair, the leader of an exclusive clique on campus and a girl who is already out to get Finch after an earlier misunderstanding. However, when Finch and Selena are paired for a crucial performance project, they must come to terms with the burgeoning feelings that arise between them. Selena St. Clair sees right through Finch, and she knows something is seriously wrong with her. But despite Selena's suspicion, she feels drawn to Finch and has a sinking feeling that from now on the two will be inexplicably linked to one another.

When Finch, Selena, and the popular girls stumble upon a mysterious and alluring power in the tunnels beneath Ulalume, they accidentally summon a carnivorous creature of immense power in the depths of the school. It promises to grant every desire the girls have kept locked away in their insecure hearts―beauty, power, and adoration―in exchange for a price: human body parts. But as the cost of their wanting becomes more deadly, Finch and Selena must learn to work together to stop the horror they unleashed before it consumes the entire island. Blood, gore, and drama make for a spooky success.

The members thought the book started out a little leisurely. There were some parts, like some of the relationships for instance, that felt unnecessarily added that didn’t influence the story. But once the group of girls found the creature, that’s when it started to get more interesting. From fingernails to human bodies, there was quite a bit going on at every turn that will have readers at the edge of their seats. The ending was satisfying, but it did leave the members with some unanswered questions. Overall, it was an adequate read. 

 

Young Soul Readers -- June 21, 2023

The Young Soul Readers met in June to discuss Yolk by Mary H.K. Choi.

Jayne is in fashion school in New York City. Well, she's enrolled. It's debatable how often she actually attends. June has a fancy job in finance, or that's what everyone thinks. But when June gets cancer, the estranged sisters are pulled together because June needs Jayne's identity to get treatment. By pretending to be her sister to get the life-saving procedure, June is forced to come clean and pull Jayne back into her orbit. Though their relationship stays rocky, they're suddenly glued together, forced to admit that their respective glamorous lives are actually filled with roaches and trauma and missteps.

The discussion group had mixed feelings on this book. The writing style, which was told from Jayne’s perspective in first person, was not favorable. The characters were not very likable, making it hard to keep the readers intrigued. Some of the characters' relationships with each other seemed unrealistic. The ending wasn’t how everyone hoped, as the author left it open, leaving the readers with unanswered questions.

There were several disorders brought up throughout the book, but while detailed, the author didn't write about them in an informative way.

Trigger warnings for the reader include disordered eating (bulimia and binge eating), dysmorphia, mental illness, cancer, racism, sexual assault, parental abandonment, and mentions of abuse.

Overall, the book received 2.6 out of 5 stars from the group.

Young Soul Readers -- May 16, 2023

 

The Young Soul Readers met this month to discuss the novel They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman. Take Gossip Girl, add some secret societies and a murder no one can forget, and you'll get They Wish They Were Us. 

This murder mystery novel takes place at an exclusive prep school in Gold Coast, Long Island. Jill and Shaila are best friends and inseparable, until Shaila is killed by her boyfriend during a Player's initiation ritual their freshman year. After a dark night on the beach, Graham confessed to the murder and the case was closed. Jill spent the rest of her high school career trying to move on. 

Now it's senior year, and she's determined to make it her best one yet. She's a member of Gold Coast Prep's exclusive, not-so-secret secret society called the Players. It's sort of a secret society. Everyone knows it exists, but no one really knows what goes on except those who are part of it. Everyone wants to be a Player, to be admired by everyone else, and to be the best at everything. Acceptance is based on rigorous criteria and after completing a great number of daunting and, frankly, terrible tasks called pops. Once a student is accepted, he or she will be the coolest, most envied person in the entire school. As Sheila put it best, "'Look around. Look at everyone else,' Shaila whispered into the huddle. 'They wish they were us.'"

Soon, however, Jill starts receiving texts proclaiming Graham's innocence and all of her hopes of having a great senior year start to come crashing down. If Graham didn't kill Shaila, who did? Jill is angry, passionate, and determined to find out the truth, even if it means putting her friendships and future at risk. 

Members of the discussion group liked the novel but were a little disappointed in the characters, who were rude and arrogant. They felt the relationships between the siblings were strong and protective over each other but the friendships were toxic, filled with lies and secrets. The plot was a tad predictable and easy to devour. There were a lot of topics and situations that seemed to be thrown in more as representations than for plot furthering. The ending though, tied everything together nicely and the reader saw a different side of the characters. Just because things are a certain way, doesn't mean they can't or shouldn't be changed. 

Overall, it was a great concept and well-played story, averaging a 3.5 out of 5 stars. 

Young Soul Readers -- April 17, 2023

The Young Soul Readers book club  met in April to discuss All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. It earned a rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars.

The novel takes place in modern day Indiana and follows two teenagers named Violet and Finch. They meet on top of the bell tower at their school when both are contemplating suicide. They both survive, but it is unclear who saves who that day. Finch is a boy with a harsh past who struggles with mental illness, even though his family and friends won't admit it. He is known as a "freak" at school and gets bullied frequently. Violet is a girl that's coming to terms with past tragedy who also struggles with depression. 

As Violet counts down the days to graduation, Finch is counting up, trying to increase the number of days he has been "awake" and trying to avoid the dark slumber of his mental illness again. There is a stark contrast between the sadness Violet and Finch feels because she can trace its origin to the death of her sister the year before. Finch and the people around him have a harder time understanding his struggles because no one can pinpoint an event that caused such sadness in him. Instead, he walks around almost embracing the degrading labels that have been assigned to him by his classmates. As the two characters fall in love, the novel looks at the idea that despite your love for someone, it isn't always possible to save them. 

The discussion group found the book extremely thought provoking and agreed that the author did a great job of showing that mental illness is not the same as simply being sad. The juxtaposition of the two main characters illustrated this best. There were a few unrealistic parts, especially the amount of secrecy Finch was able to maintain from the rest of his family, that frustrated some members. Overall, the group would recommend it to readers who want to have a deeper, thought-provoking reading experience, but it is a tear jerker, so don't forget those tissues. 

 

Young Soul Readers -- March 21, 2023

The Young Soul book club had a lively discussion about The Cabin by Natasha Preston. The book revolves around a group of seven older teenagers who set off for a weekend of partying and laughter at a secluded cabin, but are soon faced with unthinkable tragedy. When two of the friends are found brutally stabbed to death in the morning, the rest of the group is forced to face the fact that at least one of them is a murderer. The suspense builds as the lead detective seems content to wait for the suspects to turn on each other and make a mistake that reveals the culprit. Meanwhile, the two main characters, Mackenzie and Blake, are getting threatening text messages but are afraid to tell anyone because they don't know if they can trust anyone but each other as their feelings for each other develop into a romantic relationship. 

This discussion group liked the overall premise of the plot, but were generally disappointed in the writing style, which at times seemed contrived. There was a disconnect between the characters behaving like adults in their late twenties who were trying to solve a crime, and their dialog and narrated thoughts that were much less mature. Several members who were leaning toward a positive rating also expressed great disappointment in the ending, which led to a lower rating than they planned as they were reading the rest of the book. However, those who really enjoyed the suspense gave it a positive rating. The average rating of The Cabin for the Young Soul group was a 2.5 out of 5 stars. 
 

Young Soul Readers -- February 20, 2023

The Young Soul Readers is a book discussion group comprised of adults who particularly enjoy reading the young adult genre, where the books are often written with a teenage audience in mind, but include characters and themes that adults also enjoy. Within that genre, many different subgenres will be discussed, such as mystery, suspense, or fantasy. The group meets on the third Monday of the month at 6:30. If you are an adult who would like to join this group, please call the library at 574-546-2849 to register.

For their inaugural book discussion, the Young Soul Readers chose We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. Set on a private island off the coast of Massachusetts, we meet the prominent and prestigious Sinclair family. As we get to know the youngest generation of this family, we encounter lies, love, secrets, and dysfunction. 

Many of the members of the Young Soul Readers thought it was a good book and did not see the twist ending coming at all. The end is what truly makes this book outstanding, leaving the readers stunned. The group gave the book a strong 4.7 out of 5 stars and are looking forward to reading more titles by this author.