Book Club Discussion Questions Pdf Novels & Stories

No need to look for another lie. "A women's book club, that's what I'm going for," I said, hoping he would believe my outlandish lie. "So let me get this straight." He sat up on his chair. "A bunch of ladies leave their homes with paperback novels, then find a fancy cafe and sit around in a circle talking about fictional characters they're in love with?" he asked, and I nodded at him, thinking this was the best approach. "Pretty much, yeah. It gets worse, but you're not supposed to know about that."

The book club ladies were in fine form this afternoon. Margaret Thompson sat primly on the floral couch in a rented out space close to the library, a half-empty teacup balanced on her knee, her Bible study notes open on the coffee table. The conversation had started with the latest Christian fiction novel — something about redemption and resisting temptation — but it had drifted, as it always did, into more personal territory. Gossip dressed up as prayer requests. “Speaking of temptation,” one of the women said, lowering her voice with dramatic concern, “have you heard what’s going around about that poor Thompson boy?”

He felt the unfamiliar stab of guilt. ‘What are you doing tonight?’ he said. The question made Pamela turn round. ‘It’s my book club.’ ‘Your book club?’ ‘Six to eight women,’ she explained, since he’d clearly never heard of the concept. ‘We all read a book and then afterwards we sit round and discuss it.’ He knitted his brows together. ‘And that’s supposed to be enjoyable?’ ‘That’s the general idea.’ ‘Cancel it.’ The answering smile he floated her was supremely confident. ‘Have dinner with me instead.’

I watch as she processes my words, her face going from scrunched and confused, to surprised until a wide smile splits across her face. "Are you serious?" she asks. I take the book from her hands and flip it open to the first sex scene and hand it back to her. I watch as her eyes flit across the page. As she reads, a pink flush spreads up her neck to her face until she looks up at me. "You read this whole book?" she asks, flipping through all of the pages. "Yep. Jack and I both did. And every week we go to book club to talk about it. The ladies have kind of taken an interest in us. Giving us some tips and things." I admit, feeling my face blush.

He shifts back; putting a seat between us and truly looking horrified. Bibah simply shakes her head at our childish shenanigans and takes a sip of her iced latte, metal straw clinking in the Hydro Flask. “The Awoo Book Club’s pick for this week is H.P Lovecraft.” She pats the voluminous book atop the pile and I notice it’s the library copy of H.P Lovecraft’s Omnibus 3. “I’m so excited to roast his ass.”

Yet here I was, in this room full of people who had chosen me, not because they had to, but because they wanted to. I smiled, a real one this time, and sat at the center of the circle. April clapped her hands together, bubbling in excitement. “Okay, enough of the emotional display. Let’s get to work. Book Club is officially back in session!” Laughter filled the room. We started tossing around ideas for the next reading list, but the discussion quickly turned into a chaotic mess of inside jokes and playful teasing. Maya insisted we include something “dark and brooding,” while Sammy argued for something “funny, because God knows we all need to laugh more.” April rolled her eyes and wrote both

Compliments passed back and forth, smiles filled the air, and the amount of giggles would make you think you were at a teenager’s sleepover talking about the hottest guy on Teen Vogue. And I must say that it was a nice day. Book club went off without a hitch, and the exchange of ideas fueled more conversation about home, family, work, and life in general. And then we heard it. The salsa dance. The library was closing in thirty minutes. Again, now in fifteen minutes. And last call, time to pack up and go.

"We can take it slow. Or not take it anywhere at all if that's what you want." "That's not what I want," I said quickly, then winced slightly at how fast the words came out. "I mean. I don't know what I want. I just know I don't want pressure." He smiled. "Then no pressure." We finished lunch talking about the book club. He told me when they met, who usually showed up, how half the discussions turned into arguments that had nothing to do with the book. It sounded normal in a way that made my chest loosen a bit.

Another XY chromosome in attendance was a young lad that looked like he'd been forced to be here. Three men among six women, discussing an erotica book. At the risk of sounding like Sawyer, this really did look like one of those cults that adjourned with an orgy. "Shall we start?" My god mother broke the tension almost as if she could read my thoughts aloud. "I'm just going to start by thanking Zade Cutler for showing up to our book club. I didn't know a man of your...ehm..caliber was interested in books" I smiled. A smile that had the Smith women swooning and had Claire rolling her eyes with disinterest.

“It’s pretty wild. You’re in for an interesting night.” Luna grabs another copy of the book from a nearby stack and hands it to me. “Here you go. This one’s a fresh copy, we have plenty. You’ll see why in a minute.” I take the book, glancing between them. “You’ve actually got extras? What kind of book club is this?” Lilly grins mischievously. “One that takes its material seriously. We didn’t just pick this one by chance. We’ve been swapping theories about it for weeks now. Everyone’s dying to hear your take.”