“Hey, girls! I’m thinking about starting a book club! Let me know who is interested!” My friend sent this text to a group of moms I had known since my middle child was in preschool.
I knew all these moms well and that they would be a fun and interesting group to have a book club with. At first, I thought I might not have time to read a book each month or have the availability in my schedule to attend the gatherings where we would open discussions on the book, pose insightful questions, vote on the next book, and, most importantly, have much needed kid-free time with a glass of white or red.
I had turned down other book club invites before since my husband’s crazy work schedule doesn’t ever allow me to plan fun social gatherings in advance. More often than not, he’s not home on time, and I have to cancel. But something told me to accept it, and I hoped to join the fun.
As a book lover, I knew they would have some great book suggestions and it would encourage me to make time to read like I used to.
For me, reading and writing is a form of self-care. My friend also mentioned this would be a low-key group, and there would be no pressure to come to every meeting, and if you couldn’t finish the book in time, no problem. Since we are all friends, it was a great excuse to hang out, catch up, and have some laughs. We decided to call the club Chic-Lit, and if you’re an 80s baby like me, you’ll appreciate the name in more ways than one.
For our first book, we read The Housemaid by Freida McFadden. After we discussed it one night by the fire pit while snacking on a charcuterie board of crackers, fruits, and cheese, we all realized that we were equally captivated and horrified by the book. We all shared our ideas on who we thought the villain would be and why things happened the way they did. Hearing everyone’s thoughts on the writer’s choice for the events was interesting.
We decided to stay with the thriller and mystery themes, where the sultry female was usually the protagonist. We also got into Colleen Hoover, and everyone loved It Ends with Us. The group is thinking about adding Verity by Colleen Hoover for a later date and since I already read that one, I can assure anyone who reads it that they are in for a shocking story if you like that genre.
I couldn’t read each book selected, but I think I read five of the eight selections and was happy with that. The last book I read for the book club was The Idea of You by Robinne Lee. I loved this book so much. It was an honest portrayal of what life could be like for a woman turning 40 who is also rediscovering herself after a surprise that leads to the end of her marriage and the beginning of a beautiful love story. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it.
The movie also just came out on Amazon Prime and is not nearly as great as the book, in my opinion, but still worth a watch thanks to the classic Anne Hathaway and hot, young newcomer Nicholas Galitzine. And for you loyal readers (slight spoiler alert!), the movie plays around with an alternate ending, which some readers loved and needed. I was still too busy crying that I finished the novel and had to move on from the leading character, Hayes.
To keep it interesting, we also decided to rotate houses for our book club and try different local events and activities to broaden our horizons. A couple of months ago, someone in the group suggested a sound bath. I remember being equal parts intrigued and equal parts terrified.
I couldn’t picture myself on a yoga mat in a quiet room with someone hitting a giant gong while remaining quiet. It turned out to be quite the experience, and we all appreciated the quiet time. I did stifle a few laughs, though! Next on the agenda will be paint night at the farm when the weather at night is perfect for an evening gab session.
If reading is your thing, I highly recommend jumping into a book club or starting your own! And if it isn’t, maybe joining one will surprise you! It’s a great way to stay connected to old friends, meet new ones, discover new series and great authors, learn something new, and enjoy a great time.
And if anyone needs a great read for this summer, my all-time favorite will always be The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. It’s such a powerful read! I’m hoping to start The Women this summer.
Here is a list of books from our book club:
- The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
- The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
- None of This is True by Lisa Jewell
- The Idea of You by Robinne Lee
- The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
- The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
- Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score
- What is Mine by Lynn Liao Butler
- It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
- The Inmate by Freida McFadden
