Looking for some of the best books of 2023? 

 At our meeting on August 28th, we discussed The Music of Bees by Eileen Garvin. The group loved the book and would recommend it! They liked the characters and how they developed and felt that the beekeeping information was interesting. 

Summary of Where the Crawdads Sing: "For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. She's barefoot and wild; unfit for polite society. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark. But Kya is not what they say. Abandoned at age ten, she has survived on her own in the marsh that she calls home. A born naturalist with just one day of school, she takes life lessons from the land, learning from the false signals of fireflies the real way of this world. But while she could have lived in solitude forever, the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. Drawn to two young men from town, who are each intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world--until the unthinkable happens. In Where the Crawdads Sing, Owens juxtaposes an exquisite ode to the natural world against a heartbreaking coming of age story and a surprising murder investigation. Thought-provoking, wise, and deeply moving, Owens's debut novel reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps."

Sorry--it's been so busy, I got behind on posting for bookgroup! 

At our March 27th meeting, we discussed Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner. We had a good turnout but the book didn't resonant with our members. Some didn't like the topic of loss while others felt the volume of Korean dishes mentioned was too far outside their limited knowledge. The generational gap between the author and our group members was also very apparent. A similar title, The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion, might have been a better pick for us. Overall, we rated the book as average.

At our book club meeting on February 27th, we discussed Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson. All members were surprised that this was Wilkerson's debut novel since it is so cohesive and well written. She is quite the storyteller! Even though there are many characters and points of view, everyone really enjoyed the book. We had strawberries (it was national strawberry day!) and English biscuits but no black cake ;-) 

I noticed I didn't post the January title which was Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. We met yesterday and the book had a lukewarm response. It was definitely quirky and grows on you but the timelines and the murders were difficult for some members to follow. The group felt it should have been named the Thursday Murders Club because there are several murders covered and almost as many suicides. This may sound depressing but again, with quirky British humor it was really rather fun. The discussion sheets where available here and we had Tiramisu for refreshments (just because I've always wanted to make Tiramisu!)

Black Cake summary: "In this moving debut novel, two estranged siblings must set aside their differences to deal with their mother's death and her hidden past--a journey of discovery that takes them from the Caribbean to London to California and ends with her famous black cake. Charmaine Wilkerson's debut novel is a story of how the inheritance of betrayals, secrets, memories, and even names, can shape relationships and history. Deeply evocative and beautifully written, Black Cake is an extraordinary journey through the life of a family changed forever by the choices of its matriarch"

 2023 is our 20th year of our book club and our picks are here!

“Talk About a Good Book” Book Club Discussion Group

Usually meets last Monday of the month at 3 pm

 2023 (Our 20^th year)