As an avid reader, a community builder and a Mum who needs other Mums…it just seemd like a natural decision to grab some friends and start a book club! Our sweet book club of 8 started back in Summer 2019. We met monthly until the Pandemic shut us down in March 2020. Once things opened up in June 2020, we decided to start meeting up again in backyards following appropriate protocols (including swithching to Zoom when we went back into the red).
Why do I love my amazing book club? First off, being a part of a book club, exposes me to books I may not normally pick up for myself and what a surprise for me! Secondly, connecting with women monthly about books but also really about life, just fills my bucket. Lasty, being part of my book club during Covid was life-saving. Once a month, my social bucket was filled. We knew at least once a month, we would all connect and lean on each other, while chatting about a book!
Goodbye sweet ladies!
On April 25, I said goodbye to my sweet book club. While I plan to follow along with them virtually and see what they are reading and share my thoughts etc via text, I will miss this monthly meeting for sure. I have no doubt that once I’m settled in Cary, I will seek out a neighborhood book club…or start one of my own! My sweet club, had an amazing card for me at our last meeting…and they made a donation to the San Jose Public Libraries in my name! How fun is that? A little piece of me, remains in the libraries. I think it’s a perfect gift. I love you ladies!
Now onto May reads. Let’s see House Rules by Jodi Picoult, and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.
House Rules
House Rules was good however I think I enjoyed it for different reasons than someone else might enjoy it. As some of you know, my sweet niece is Autistic. While Asperger’s and Austism is not the absolute focus of this book, it opened my eyes to so many feelings and struggles and celebrations my sister feels on the daily. Honestly I think the actual story line may have been missed a little on me as I was so focused on the “Ah-ha” moments of this book. Jodi Picoult often shoots straight and really provides thought-provoking content and this one definitely did not stray from that.
The Book Thief
The Book Thief, really took me by surprise. I actually picked it up a few months ago and put it back down. It just didn’t grab me and at the time, I needed a quick and easy read. A few friends (that I love most of their book recs) encouraged me to pick it back up and so I did. I definitely had a hard time at various points but overall I really liked this book. The ending had me in tears…full disclosure: I finished it the day we left California, maybe not my best decision! I really am captivated by WWII historical fiction and nonfiction, and this book grabbed me. My dear friend Lisa feels the same way and I am literally lugging this book all the way across the country, so I can put it in our guest room, ready for her visit! Side note, was anyone else surprised that this was a YA book?!
