Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly

Club Rating: 4.8


This had a LOT of great discussion - about the 3 characters, Herta, Kasia and Caroline, their perspectives, moving on afterwards The author did a beautiful job of capturing so much with this historical fiction book. The hierarchy and nuances of the camp were very interesting. Some didn't care for Caroline while others felt that it showed how different all the perspectives were depending on where they lived.  Some felt that the ending was very rushed to tie up all the ends. Some questioned what the author chose to focus on in the 3 stories.

My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrick Backman

Club Rating: 4.3

Everyone loved Grandma. Some people cried throughout the book. The translation from Swedish makes it richer. Some skimmed the secret language and the fantasy world and others loved it. There was small incredible moments - the dad and the word jar, George, Alf.

Once Upon A Secret by Mimi Alford

Club Rating: 3.4

Some felt that it wasn't a "tell all" book and others did. Women had very few rights until 1970's. Her first husband demanding that this was 'off limits' meant that her silence was locking off her emotions and dealing with her affair. This may not have been our highest rated book but I think it was our best discussion ever!

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Club rating: 4.6

This is a beautiful novel that, through weaving of the past and present, tells the story of a girl in the juvenile system and what happens to her after she turns 18. She has a passion for flowers and uses each flower for their meaning. Elegantly told with lots of heart. Excellent character development, plot and pacing.

Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Merra

Club Rating: 4.8

Some loved it because it showed survival and the story of fighting for each other even in a hopeless situation and loved all the characters - flawed in pain, lovely resilient. Others found it bleak and demoralizing, and felt that they had to trudge through it.

The Life We Bury by Allen Eskins

Club Rating: 3.6

College student Joe Talbert has the modest goal of completing a writing assignment for an English class. His task is to interview a stranger and write a brief biography of the person. With deadlines looming, Joe heads to a nearby nursing home to find a willing subject. There he meets Carl Iverson, and soon nothing in Joe's life is ever the same.

Some wished there was a relationship with the college student and the man. Some felt that the story lines were too many and didn't focus on where they were hoping it would. It was reminiscent of Tuesdays with Morrie. Some had the twist figured out. It was a great escape.

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Club Rating: 4.3

A fun beach read. Several people could relate to the characters from their days in the PTA.

The Marriage of Opposites by Anne Hoffman

Club Rating: 4.2

Rachel's was fascinating with her being married to an older man and then remarriage and fighting society. The imagery of the island life was very strong - the donkeys, the humidity, island life. The part with the son didn’t grab us as much. The characters were well defined. It was about women and their relationships but it didn't capture Rachel's relationships with her daughters/children. 

Some people didn't have compassion for Rachel after the first marriage. Others felt a compassion for her as she wanted love so much.

Wallace Stegner

Club Rating: 4.2

We read either Crossing to Safety or Angle of
Repose and discussed Stegner's style of writing as well as our favorite all-time books/authors and why.  Very interesting discussion.

New York by Edward Rutherford

Club Rating: 4.1

Everyone suffered under the weight of New York, so reads for the month were sparse

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

Club Rating: 4.5

This was a fabulous discussion Women's roles in the war, how your children see you, who was the protagonist and was it clear (not always!), attitudes of risk vs. stable and the aftermath of the effect of the holocaust, favorite characters, etc.

Skipping a Beat by Sarah Pekkanen

Club Rating: 4.5

At first glance, this seemed like it was going to be predictable but, it wasn't. Everyone loved this book. It made us wonder what we would do if we were given a second chance.