Meeting Notes and Reviews from the September 18, 2024 Meeting
The Black Bird Oracle
by Deborah Harkness
Witch Diana Bishop and vampire Matthew de Clairmont return in this fifth installment in the All Souls Trilogy. The Congregation has sent word that it is time for their 7-year old twins to have their magic tested. Afraid of what awaits them, Diana ansers an invitation from her great-aunt Gwyneth to come home to Ipswich, to the Proctor family farm. There, she learns about her father’s side of the family, long-held secrets, and the source of her own growing magic. Why was her father so adamant that her mother renounce dark magic? Why did he have her spellbound? What was he afraid of, and how does it all tie into her own children’s magic? Beautifully written and rich in detail, The Black Bird Oracle takes the reader even further into the brilliant world that Harkness has created.
The Book of Doors
by Gareth Brown
Bookseller Cassie Andrews leads a predictable life until the day that one of her favorite customers, an elderly gentleman, dies in front of her. Picking up the book that he was reading, the book that he left for her and her alone, she is plunged into a world of magic, a world of possibilities and of danger. Opening her bedroom door later that night, Cassie and her roommate Izzy find themselves transformed to another place and time. Soon, they are approached by a broody Scotsman named Drummond Foxx, who tells them that the book they hold, the Book of Doors, is one of many magical books, and that there are those that would kill to get their hands on her book. What starts out as an intriguing premise turns fast-paced and suspensful as danger mounts and Cassie and her friends battle to get all the books and keep them safe.
The Paying Guests
by Sarah Waters
In the aftermath of WWI and the death of her two brothers and father, spinster Frances Wray and her mother have found it necessary to take in lodgers in order to stay in their grand home on Chamlpion Hill in London. They rent out the upstairs half of their home to the Barbers, members of the lower, clerk class. They’re a little too loud and the Wrays find it hard to adjust to their new situation until Frances and Mrs. Barber strike a tentative friendship. Soon, friendship turns into something more. Eventually, a violent act brings everything into question. Full of the rich descriptions of time and place that Waters is known for, the novel raises questions of class, morality, and what one truly owes; to oneself and to others.
The Big Fix
by Holly James
College professor Penny Collins has made uph er mind to spend her summers getting serious about working on her tenure. It’s tedious work and so, when her sister invites her to an estate sale, she goes. Her sister’s neighbor has passed away, and the family is selling off most of her things. Penny finds herself arguing over an item with the decease’s nephew, Anthony. Not to give away too much, but hillarity ensues when a body is discovered in the oddest of ways. Anthony is a “fixer” and Penny is wrongly assumed to be his girlfriend. Since the FBI and a ruthless billionaire are after him, Penny is in their sight as well. Soon, the two are on the run, trying to solve the murder. James shines when it comes to contemporary romance. The story starts out slow but builds momentum as it goes. Humor punctuates the suspense while likeable characters keep you reading. Highly recommended for fans fo Emma Straub.
Big Little Lies
by Liane Moriarty
Ex-husbands, second wives, helicopter parents, schoolyard scandals, and a death – who could ask for anything more? Madeline and Celeste take newcomber, single mother Jane and her son Ziggy, under wing. When Ziggy is accused of bullying another child, an anti-bullying fervor begins. Things culminate at the school Trivia Night, when someone is murdered. Between Jane’s entrance onto the stage and that eventful night, the reader slowly learns many secrets that the characters would rather remain hidden. This is an entertaining read.
Clapton
by Eric Clapton
A snapshot of Clapton’s life up until 2007, when this autobiography was written. The reader learns about Clapton’s use of illicit drugs and alcohol, his illigitimate child, toxic early relationships, and his eventual sobriety. There’s bits about his relationships with others in the industry; most notably his friendship with George Harrison and his wife, with whom Clapton fell in love. She eventually left Harrison for Clapton, but they never married. Clapton eventually married someone thirty years his junior. Clapton says that now, sobriety is his #1 priority, because without that, he would lose everything. An intimate look into a classic icon.
Also discussed…
Distinguished Speaker Series: The Process of Storytelling with Chris Bohjalian