Discussion Questions for What She Knew

1. At the very beginning of What She Knew, Rachel states that “in the eyes of others we’re often not who we imagine ourselves to be” How much do you agree with this statement and do you think it’s a liberating idea or an unsettling one?

2. The narrative in What She Knew is presented in some unusual ways, including through social media excerpts, transcripts and the alternating viewpoints of Rachel and Jim. What did you make of this?

3. Do you think Rachel and Jim change as the story evolves and if so, how?

4. Does Rachel deserve the criticism that she gets via social media?

5. Do you think that the influence of social media has a negative impact on how the case develops for both the police and Rachel?

6. Rachel feels that the media would have treated her differently if she hadn’t been a single mother. Do you agree with this?

7. Do you think it was understandable for Rachel to follow her instincts at the press conference?

8. Does the ending of the book work for you? Would you have like to see it  resolved differently?

9. Were you surprised when you discovered who was responsible for Ben’s abduction? Do you think having a position of trust or authority means that people can get away with more than they would otherwise?

10. Did you sympathize with Jim by the end? Should he have let his instincts or personal feelings interfere with his rational judgments about the case?

11. What is the importance of secrets in this novel?

Possession and our next Book!

Thanks to everyone who could attend tonight with a warm welcome to new member Amy Grant and a welcome back to Bridgit!  Possession was a worthy book but we found hard to commit to during this sheltering at home time. 

Laura offered to host the next book selection. She has three choices below for us to review.  Please vote by June 2nd!

The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48710246

Finding Chika by Mitch Albom

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44081128

What She Knew by Gilly Macmillian

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25817531

2020 is my least favorite year so far....

Welp... it seems hard to believe we met in Feb.... I'm sorry I didn't pursue this sooner... I keep meaning to do so but then I'd read the news and lose all motivation to do anything. Sorry.

I finally decided we're having this thing online... BYOB! Anyway, I emailed the poll for the next book club which I think is less about when you're available but more about how quickly you can read the book (see your email if you need a copy).

Please vote by Thursday.

 

Hope you're all doing well!

Spring Book Club Selection

We had a lively discussion last night on The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo.  While it was not the most fun we ever had reading it, consensus was the book would have been better with a little editing.  Story was interesting but could have been more succinct.

Welcome to our newest member Olivia!  She joined our brand of crazy last night!

Luckily she ducked out of the restaurant right before the rest of us checked out the other book club meeting at O'Toole's.  They were discussing a book we've read but we did not see them laughing much... maybe they were waiting on drinks! Hee!

Our next book is Possession by A S Byatt.  We will meet sometime in April - I will try to avoid dates right before and right after Easter....

Our next book is....

Looks like everyone has voted and it was very close between The Most Fun We Ever Had and The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane.  The next book will be The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo. We will meet by the end of Feb!  I will send out a poll for the meeting date in a few weeks. Stay warm!

Book Club 2020

We had a good night last night discussing Behind Closed Doors.  Generally speaking, it was a semi predictable read but with a satisfying ending.  For our first book of 2020, we will take one of your choices and do a poll for those.  It's fun to crowdsource it occasionally... With that said, send me a book you would like to propose to the group by 12/30/19.  I'll put those together and send a poll after New Years.  I will try to put it on Facebook too so you can enter your selection there if that is easier for you.

Another topic that I brought up last night was reading resolutions.  With the year coming to an end and Goodreads showing me all the trash I read last year, I was thinking of some reading goals for myself for next year.  Since we all like to read, I would like to challenge everyone in the group to make one or a few reading goal(s) for 2020.  We can talk about it at our next meeting.  This is of course optional but if you're up to it, I've included some examples of goals I found on the internet.

Example Reading Goals:

1. Read a book translated from another language
2. Read a book about the planet
3. Read a book that takes place in your home city or state
4. Read a trilogy
5. Read a book by a debut author
6. Read a book you’ve lied about reading
7. Re-read a book you read in school
8. Read a book written by someone under the age of 35
9. Read the book of a movie you love
10. Read a book about mental health
11. Read a book with no words
12. Read a book a friend recommended
13. Lend someone your favorite book (but be sure to get it back!)
14. Read a book from a genre you’ve never tried
15. Read a book by an author of color
16. Read a book with a LGBQT narrator
17. Read in a new place/location
18. Read an intimidatingly long book
19. Read a book in one sitting
20. Go to a bookish event
21. Read a book about a female identifying historical figure
22. Read a short story collection
23. Read a graphic novel
24. Read a non fiction book
25. Read a memoir

Hopefully you will find this fun! 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you!  I hope you get some reading time in during the holidays! :)

No Bones About It

We enjoyed The Halloween Tree for what it was - a children's tale... I wish I had picked something edgier but there is always next year.  Kim gave us 4 books to select from last night at our meeting.  Our next book is Behind Closed Doors by B A Paris.  If you missed the meeting and want to see all of the choices, you can look at them here.  I will have a meeting poll for you soon!  Our next meeting will be in the first half of December.