Once Upon a December

By: Amy E Reichert
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 336

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): With a name like Astra Noel Snow, holiday spirit isn't just a seasonal specialty--it's a way of life. But after a stinging divorce, Astra's yearly trip to the Milwaukee Christmas market takes on a whole new meaning. She's ready to eat, drink, and be merry, especially with the handsome stranger who saves the best kringle for her at his family bakery.

For Jack Clausen, the Julemarked with its snowy lights and charming shops stays the same, while the world outside the joyful street changes, magically leaping from one December to the next every four weeks. He's never minded living this charmed existence until Astra shows him the life he's been missing outside of the festive red brick alley.

After a swoon-worthy series of dates, some Yuletide magic, and the unexpected glow of new love, Astra and Jack must decide whether this relationship can weather all seasons, or if what they're feeling is as ephemeral as marshmallows in a mug of hot cocoa.

First Impressions

This cover is very cute and felt very wintery to me. I was all in on a romance that involved Kringles, Milwaukee, Christmas, and a little bit of magic. That’s all I needed to know.

What I thought

Astra lives in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Jack lives in a magical world called Julemarked. Every time he visits Milwaukee, he falls more in love with Astra. Astra never remembers meeting him. Until she does.

I don’t know how to describe this book without rambling on for ages. It’s a bit complicated. Julemarked is a magical universe that exists out of time. It essentially only exists in December and it shows up in different Christmas markets all over the world on December 1st. Sometimes it’s in a chronological order of years, other times it’s not. But one thing is consistent; no one ever remembers Julemarked after it’s gone.

What I truly appreciated about this story was the explanation about Julemarked and some of the rules. I think sometimes when you have these types of stories you’re left just having to ignore giant holes, in hopes of just enjoying the story for what it is. Reichert does a great job filling in those holes. When I was explaining this book to some of my friends, they obviously had a bunch of questions. I found that I was actually able to answer most of them with what had been provided for me in the book!

At the beginning, the book alternates with Astra’s present day life and Jack’s memories of the other time’s they’ve met. I loved being able to see him fall in love with her without her remembering who he is. They were cute together and I think it helped to get over the fact that they only got to “know” each other over the course of 24 days. In reality (well… in magical reality?), it had been 15 years.

Being a Midwestern girl, I adored that this book took place in Milwaukee. It felt very true to what I know of Wisconsin in winter, even though I’ve never been to their Christmas market. The friendships between Astra and her girlfriends was very well written. I loved reading about women supporting women and how they had been friends for so long.

My biggest issue with this book was trying to figure out how it was going to end. In order for them to end up together, either Astra was going to have to leave the real world and all of her family and friends to live in Julemarked, or Jack was going to have to leave his family, friends, and magic behind to live in the real world. Neither of these felt like good solutions to me, so in a way, I knew I was going to be disappointed no matter what. I will admit, that it didn’t turn out as badly as I worried that it would.

I know it’s a little early, but if you’re looking for a cute Christmas romance to get you in the season, this one might be it. It’s got the magic and romance as well as some lighthearted moments and some really good friendships. I loved the core group of friends that Astra had. The ending was a bit tough for me to swallow, but not in a dislikable way. I would definitely read more by Reichert and enjoyed this book. Even if I would’ve preferred reading it in December.

Book Club October 2022- Hana Khan Carries On

By: Uzma Jalaluddin
Published Year: 2021
Pages: 368
Publisher: Berkley

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Hana Khan's family-run halal restaurant is on its last legs. So when a flashy competitor gets ready to open nearby, bringing their inevitable closure even closer, she turns to her anonymously-hosted podcast, and her lively and long-lasting relationship with one of her listeners, for advice.

But a hate-motivated attack on their neighbourhood complicates the situation further, as does Hana's growing attraction for Aydin, the young owner of the rival business. Who might not be a complete stranger after all...

What I thought

This book was my pick. I heard about it in reference to Mindy Kaling and Amazon Studios buying the rights to make it into a movie. I knew that I wanted to read it before the movie came out, so I figured that choosing it for book club would be extra fun.

Hana lives in Toronto and works part time at her mother’s restaurant, Three Sisters Biryani Poutine. When a new Halal restaurant moves into town and threatens her family’s already struggling business, Hana isn’t happy. Then she meets the restaurant owner’s cute, but rude, son. When not at the restaurant, Hana has an internship at a radio station, where she is working towards one day having her own show. She also has an anonymous podcast where she has been communicating with a stranger for months.

This book was advertised as a modern day re-telling of You Got Mail. I would say that’s accurate, but I also think this book is a lot more. It tackles a lot of cultural and racial issues in addition to just being a romance story.

I really enjoyed Hana as a character. I thought she was strong but had just enough of the insecurity to make it feel like she was truly 24 years old and not a 40 year old being passed off as 24. At times, this book even read a little more like a YA novel to me, but not in a bad way. I also really liked Aydin and I appreciated their chemistry. I loved how she didn’t take his shit.

I did feel at times the story wandered and got a little bit long. The first half of the book definitely focuses on the forbidden romance side of the story. The second half dives head first into racism against Muslims and women who wear hijabs right in central Toronto. While I appreciated the story line and acknowledge that it needed to be told, I felt a little bit of whiplash with the transition. I also felt that way a little bit with how the story ended, so I wonder if that’s just the author’s style. Personally, I think it could’ve been a little smoother at times, but it wasn’t anything that made me dislike the story.

What book club thought

We all agreed that the characters were the best part of the story. A few members commented how much they liked reading a story about the culture, as they had never really read anything like it before. I think for people branching out into reading stories by authors of color, this is a good first step. We also adored Hana’s Aunty and her cousin. I would hands down read a sequel just for their shenanigans. Overall, I think this is a great book club choice. There are a lot of discussion points that tackle some heavier issues, but it’s a light quick read. Plus, you’ll eventually have a movie you can all see together!

Lockdown on London Lane

By: Beth Reekles
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: W by Wattpad Books
Pages: 304

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): For the inhabitants of London Lane, a simple slip of paper underneath each of their doors is about to change their lives in a hundred different ways.

URGENT!!! Due to the current situation, building management has decided to impose a seven-day quarantine on all apartment buildings on London Lane.

With nowhere else to go . . .

Ethan and Charlotte wonder whether absence really does make the heart grow fonder when they end up on either side of a locked door.

A fierce debate over pineapple on pizza ignites a series of revelations about Zach and Serena’s four-year relationship.

Liv realizes rolling with the punches is sometimes much harder than it looks after her bridesmaids’ party goes off the rails, leaving the group at each other’s throats.

Isla and Danny’s new romance is put to the test as they jump ten steps ahead on the relationship timeline.

And Imogen and Nate’s one-night stand is about to get six do-overs they never really asked for—not awkward at all.

Through make ups, breakups, love-ins, and blowouts, friendships are tested as everyone scrambles to make it through the week unscathed. Amidst all the drama, one thing remains constant: life is full of surprises.

First Impression

This book definitely grabbed my eye when I was at the library. Even since the first lockdown in 2020 my friends and I have predicted how long it would take for a quarantine romance to come out. There have been a few but this was the first one I’ve seen out in the wild and that caught my eye.

What I thought

This book was so cute and the perfect lockdown romcom. I don’t think I would’ve handled it well a year ago, but it hit the spot right now.

This story follows a small apartment complex that is put on lockdown after one of their residents tests positive for COVID (though in the tory it’s just referred to as ‘the virus’). One apartment follows a one night stand that lasts for 7 nights, another follows a wedding planning part with four girls all stuck together, a couple who has been together for four years but never discussed important matters, a boyfriend whose girlfriend gets locked out and he has to spend the week alone, and a new couple who has only been together for a month.

I loved seeing all of these different characters dealing with the reality of COVID. So many of the bits and pieces the characters went through was relatable. I also felt like Reekles did a great job making some of the apartments feel connected without the fantasy that they were all best friends.

My favorite apartment to follow was the new couple. As someone who dated during the pandemic, it was probably the one I related to the most. I loved watching Isla and Danny’s relationship blossom under the stress. Nathan and Imogen were also fun to read about as Imogen had come over to Nathan’s with the intent of it being a one night stand and now they need to live with each other for a week. Imogen did irritate me a little but it was interesting to see her grow over a short amount of time.

Liz’s storyline brought a bit of fresh air to the apartments as hers was the only one not dealing with a romantic relationship. It was interesting to see what happens when you get stuck with our best friend in a super stressful situation as well as two strangers.

Some people will say this book is silly or cheesy, but I loved it. It was the perfect book to read at the end of the school year when I was super stressed out. I loved all of the characters and I found myself laughing and grimacing with them. Reekles wrote the Netflix hit The Kissing Booth, so she definitely has a talent for writing books that would translate well to screen. I would watch a mini-series about this book in a heartbeat. If you think you can handle reading fiction about the pandemic I highly recommend checking this one out.

Book Club September 2022- Sorry I Missed You

By: Suzy Krause
Published Year: 2020
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Pages: 313

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): A poignant and heartwarming novel about friendship, ghosting, and searching for answers to life’s mysteries.

When Mackenzie, Sunna, and Maude move into a converted rental house, they are strangers with only one thing in common—important people in their lives have “ghosted” them. Mackenzie’s sister, Sunna’s best friend, and Maude’s fiancé—all gone with no explanation.

So when a mangled, near-indecipherable letter arrives in their shared mailbox—hinting at long-awaited answers—each tenant assumes it’s for her. The mismatched trio decides to stake out the coffee shop named in the letter—the only clue they have—and in the process, a bizarre kinship forms. But the more they learn about each other, the more questions (and suspicions) they begin to have. All the while, creepy sounds and strange happenings around the property suggest that the ghosts from their pasts might not be all that’s haunting them…

Will any of the housemates find the closure they are looking for? Or are some doors meant to remain closed?

What I thought

Mackenzie, Sunna, and Maude all live in a house split up into 3 apartments. These apartments are owned by Larry, who was left the home by his aunt with some pretty explicit rules as to what he can and cannot do with the house. All three women have been ghosted by someone important in their past, so when a letter (or basically half a letter) shows up at the house addressed to no one and asking to meet at a coffee shop, they all think it might be for them from their lost person. As a result, they decide to band together and see if they can figure out who the letter is for.

I’m not normally one for this type of book. It meanders a lot and there is A LOT going on. At time, there were a few too many plot points to follow, but overall it flowed really well. The book was a quick read and I enjoyed it as well as the message it tried to tell.

None of the characters were very likable, but they worked together in that way. I think if one of them had been significantly more likable than the others it would’ve made the other characters unbearable. Sunna was easily my least favorite. I ended up liking Mackenzie, though her story line maybe confused me the most. I also ended up liking Larry more than I thought I was going to. Maude irritated me, but not as much as Sunna.

There was a bit of confusion on my part with some of the conclusion and it didn’t wrap itself up quite the way I would’ve wanted. Though I was definitely surprised by the way things wrapped up. I also was a bit confused by the timeline of the book. The way the characters reacted to the letter it made it seemed like they had all been ghosted within the past few months. However, some of them had been ghosted years prior. Just threw me off a little.

What book Club Thought

Everyone agreed that the characters in this book are extremely dislikable. I think Meghan and I enjoyed it a little more than the others. We found it to be a good balance of silly without getting too over the top. Logan, however, listened to it on audiobook and she said that she thinks that made some of the characters intolerable. There were a lot of questions just because of the insane amount of things that happened in the book, so we had a decent amount to discuss. Overall, this was a cute and fun book. I would definitely recommend it.

Rivals (American Royals #3)

By: Katherine McGee
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Pages: 400

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Beatrice is queen, and for the American royal family, everything is about to change.

Relationships will be tested.
Princess Samantha is in love with Lord Marshall Davis—but the more serious they get, the more complicated things become. Is Sam destined to repeat her string of broken relationships…and this time will the broken heart be her own?

Strangers will become friends.
Beatrice is representing America at the greatest convocation of kings and queens in the world. When she meets a glamorous foreign princess, she gets drawn into the inner circle…but at what cost?

And rivals will become allies.
Nina and Daphne have spent years competing for Prince Jefferson. Now they have something in common: they both want to take down manipulative Lady Gabriella Madison. Can these enemies join forces, or will old rivalries stand in the way?

First Impressions

I was so excited to find out that there was going to be a third book after the way the second one ended. I like the cover and think it’s interesting that it’s the first one to have two people on the cover instead of one.

What I thought

This book gave me closure on some parts but opened up new holes in others. Since this is a sequel, there will be spoilers from the previous books.

Beatrice is hosting the League of Kings, her first big event as Queen. Samantha and Marshall are officially dating and out in the public. Daphne is back with Jefferson and Nina is back focusing on college.

I enjoyed this book for the most part but it did start to feel repetitive after a while. In addition to that, I had an issue with the message it seemed to be sending at the end which is that powerful women can never be friends with other powerful women. The only female friendship we see is Sam and Nina. Every other friendship is based off of lying and manipulation and all of the characters end up alone and decide that if they want to get what they want then they can’t afford to have female friends.

I think my biggest issue is I was enjoying this book a lot until the end. I liked the development with Daphne and Nina as well as Beatrice and the Queen Regent of France, Louise. But I hated how they ended up playing out and it made me feel a little like the whole book was for nothing. So much of what happened in the middle could have never happened and the end could’ve ended up exactly the same.

This book just seemed to be missing a little of the magic from the first two and didn’t feel like anything special.

When I first finished this book, I felt like it was a solid 3.5 and then was going to round up to a 4, but now it feels more like I need to round down. I like the characters, but the story in this one was not my favorite. A few things happened at the end that just made me mad. Obviously, I’m still going to read the next one, but it wasn’t my favorite in the series.

Memphis

By: Tara M. Stringfellow
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Dial Press
Pages: 252

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): A spellbinding debut novel tracing three generations of a Southern Black family and one daughter's discovery that she has the power to change her family's legacy.

In the summer of 1995, ten-year-old Joan, her mother, and her younger sister flee her father's violence, seeking refuge at her mother's ancestral home in Memphis. Half a century ago, Joan's grandfather built this majestic house in the historic Black neighborhood of Douglass--only to be lynched days after becoming the first Black detective in Memphis. This wasn't the first time violence altered the course of Joan's family's trajectory, and she knows it won't be the last. Longing to become an artist, Joan pours her rage and grief into sketching portraits of the women of North Memphis--including their enigmatic neighbor Miss Dawn, who seems to know something about curses.

Unfolding over seventy years through a chorus of voices, Memphis weaves back and forth in time to show how the past and future are forever intertwined. It is only when Joan comes to see herself as a continuation of a long matrilineal tradition--and the women in her family as her guides to healing--that she understands that her life does not have to be defined by vengeance. That the sole weapon she needs is her paintbrush.

Inspired by the author's own family history, Memphis--the Black fairy tale she always wanted to read--explores the complexity of what we pass down, not only in our families, but in our country: police brutality and justice, powerlessness and freedom, fate and forgiveness, doubt and faith, sacrifice and love.

First Impressions

This cover is stunning! It immediately jumped out at me from a list on Goodreads Most Anticipated Books for 2022 that I saw at the beginning of the year. I then read the summary and it became one of my most anticipated books of the year.

What I thought

This story is beautiful and I now want everyone to experience it.

Memphis follows a family of women across multiple timelines and stages of life. We start with Joan who is 10 in 1995 and then we follow her mother Miriam, her aunt August, and her grandmother Hazel. This book is told in 3 parts, though I don’t necessarily understand why being broken up into parts was needed.

The story kicks off with Joan, her sister Myra, and her mother fleeing their abusive father and moving from North Caroline, into Miriam’s childhood home with her sister August. The first part does mostly occur during the 90’s with some flashbacks to Miriam’s youth, such as when she met her husband Jax. You also get to read August’s perspective of the first time she met Jax. In the second part of the book, you start to read Hazel’s youth and how she met her husband.

What I loved about this book is that it’s just the story of a family of strong black women and how they made their lives. The men in the story come and go, but the women always stay and that is powerful.

I don’t always love books that don’t have a point, but something about this one works. Maybe it’s because we get to learn the past that brought the women to who they are by the end. Each woman’s chapter intrigued me and I wanted to know as much about their lives as possible. If I had to choose, I would say Miriam and Joan were my favorite. Their stories were so different but so intertwined that I looked forward to learning more about them in their chapters.

The description of this book says that Stringfellow wrote Memphis as the Black fairytale she always wanted to read. I might describe it more as a folk tale than a fairy tale because it doesn’t have your typical dragons or princesses, but I can definitely picture these stories being told around campfires and dinner tables for years to come.

This is a powerful story about strong black women and how they adapt and survive against the odds that life throws at them. It hold no punches and is beautifully written. I think that this is a book that everyone should read because not only did it provide some insight, but it also felt relatable and I saw myself in each of these characters. If you’re looking for a unique story that is character driven, even if you’re not usually into character driven stories, I highly recommend it. I can’t wait to see what Stringfellow does next.

Love on the Brain

By: Ali Hazelwood
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Berkley Books
Pages: 368

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): A STEMinist rom-com in which a scientist is forced to work on a project with her nemesis--with explosive results.

Like an avenging, purple-haired Jedi bringing balance to the mansplained universe, Bee Königswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? If NASA offered her the lead on a neuroengineering project--a literal dream come true after years scraping by on the crumbs of academia--Marie would accept without hesitation. Duh. But the mother of modern physics never had to co-lead with Levi Ward.

Sure, Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. And sure, he caught her in his powerfully corded arms like a romance novel hero when she accidentally damseled in distress on her first day in the lab. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school--archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away.

Now, her equipment is missing, the staff is ignoring her, and Bee finds her floundering career in somewhat of a pickle. Perhaps it's her occipital cortex playing tricks on her, but Bee could swear she can see Levi softening into an ally, backing her plays, seconding her ideas...devouring her with those eyes. And the possibilities have all her neurons firing. But when it comes time to actually make a move and put her heart on the line, there's only one question that matters: What will Bee Königswasser do?

First Impressions

I had heard all the hype around Hazelwood’s debut, Love Hypothesis, but never quite got around to it. When I was offered the chance to read her second book I jumped on it. I was excited to get a chance to read an author everyone had loved. The cover is cute and I like the idea of a woman in STEM.

What I thought

Um….

Bee is a neuroscientist who gets picked to co-lead a project at NASA with her enemy from her Doctoral program. She is worried that he’s going to make her life miserable and when things start disappearing or not showing up at all, she immediately blames him.

This is like a romance novel written by someone who has only ever heard about romance novels and has never actually experienced any romance or sex. I know that sounds harsh, but after sitting on this book for a while it’s how I feel. Initially, when I was reading it, it felt more like a 4 star read. Then some of the sex scenes got grossly graphic in addition to sounding like they were written by someone who had never actually had sex. The longer I sat on the book the more I realized I disliked it.

Bee is your stereotypical manic pixie dream girl. She’s not your “typical girl” in stem. She’s edgy and cool because she dyes her hair, has piercings, and wears dresses. She’s also super petite. So much so that she sleeps in a twin bed as an adult. But she’s insanely smart and good at her job. And also insanely obsessed with Marie Curie. I liked the interest in the female scientist at first, but then it became like every single chapter a mention of what Marie would do or how she would’ve handled the situation and it got a little irritating.

Her chemistry with Luke was good at first. I am personally a fan of enemies to lovers and I liked the slow burn of her not realizing he was into her. I also liked how Luke was a good person. Even though she interpreted things he had done as him hating her, he was never outright mean. When I found out the reason she thought he hated her though I was a bit let down.

What truly dropped this book from 4 to 3 stars for me were the sex scenes that I mentioned. They just were so bad. Like, cringe worthy. Then the last like quarter of the book completely shifts gears and even though I saw it coming it felt like it didn’t truly fit.

Well, admittedly I don’t have any desire to read Love Hypothesis now. I think there are significantly better romance novels out there and I’m curious to see what people who loved her first book think of this one. Everything about this book felt like a cliché and it just was not it for me. I’d pass on this one, maybe check out her first one instead in hopes that it’s better written than her second.

Book Club August 2022- Lessons in Chemistry

By: Bonnie Garmus
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: DoubleDay Books
Pages: 400

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results.

But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo.

Laugh-out-loud funny, shrewdly observant, and studded with a dazzling cast of supporting characters, Lessons in Chemistry is as original and vibrant as its protagonist.

What I thought

I understand why this book is the book of the year.

Elizabeth Zott is a chemist in the 1950s. Or at least she’s trying to be, fighting against sexism. She then becomes a cook on her own TV show, Supper at Six, changing lives.

It’s hard to describe this book without giving much away. It’s honestly like 3 or 4 books rolled into one. It has gotten optioned as a TV series already, and I honestly think they have 3 seasons already just from the content of the book. It’s interesting because this book is described as “laugh out loud funny” and I can’t think of a single funny moment.

I will warn that there are a lot of trigger warning moments in this book. Rape, suicide, death, religion, abuse. Like honestly, within the first 100 pages I felt like I had been knocked off my chair with the amount of tragedy that occurs.

There are a lot of really interesting things to discuss. I think specifically, the role that religion and atheism takes in this book really intrigued me. I’m not one for highlighting quotes and there was one that I actually took a picture of. The quote was “Religion is based on faith. But you realize, that faith isn’t based on religion. Right?” So, the fact that this book had a quote that caught my eye that much, says something.

There’s this weird aspect of the dog having a narrative in the story. It wasn’t my favorite because the dog is truly conscious. It felt like the author needed a way to deliver information and didn’t know how to do it with the characters she had, so she created the dog. It’s a bit odd.

I’m very intrigued to see how this plays out as a TV show.

What Book Club Thought

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to finish the book in time for when we met with book club, so I wasn’t a part of the discussion. From what I understood, everyone liked it and I did have a discussion about the religion aspect with Stephanie when we got together. I think this could make a really good book club book. There is so much to discuss. By:
Published Year: 2022
Publisher:
Pages:

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads):

What I thought

I understand why this book is the book of the year.

Elizabeth Zott is a chemist in the 1950s. Or at least she’s trying to be, fighting against sexism. She then becomes a cook on her own TV show, Supper at Six, changing lives.

It’s hard to describe this book without giving much away. It’s honestly like 3 or 4 books rolled into one. It has gotten optioned as a TV series already, and I honestly think they have 3 seasons already just from the content of the book. It’s interesting because this book is described as “laugh out loud funny” and I can’t think of a single funny moment.

I will warn that there are a lot of trigger warning moments in this book. Rape, suicide, death, religion, abuse. Like honestly, within the first 100 pages I felt like I had been knocked off my chair with the amount of tragedy that occurs.

There are a lot of really interesting things to discuss. I think specifically, the role that religion and atheism takes in this book really intrigued me. I’m not one for highlighting quotes and there was one that I actually took a picture of. The quote was “Religion is based on faith. But you realize, that faith isn’t based on religion. Right?” So, the fact that this book had a quote that caught my eye that much, says something.

There’s this weird aspect of the dog having a narrative in the story. It wasn’t my favorite because the dog is truly conscious. It felt like the author needed a way to deliver information and didn’t know how to do it with the characters she had, so she created the dog. It’s a bit odd.

I’m very intrigued to see how this plays out as a TV show.

What Book Club Thought

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to finish the book in time for when we met with book club, so I wasn’t a part of the discussion. From what I understood, everyone liked it and I did have a discussion about the religion aspect with Stephanie when we got together. I think this could make a really good book club book. There is so much to discuss.