The Next Best Book Club discussion

Parachute (1995)

“Fall in Two” – Read a book with a number in the title
“Mona Lisa” – Read a book about art or that features art
“Love for Me” – Read a love story
“Window” – Read a book with an inanimate object in the title
“Eden” – Read a book about temptation
“Scars & Stitches” – Read a used book, the more banged up the better
“The Prize” – Read a book about someone who’s lost themselves
“Dissolve” – Read a book and take credit here if it didn’t leave a lasting impression
“Cocoon” – Read a book while you’re wrapped up in a blanket, or under the sheets in bed
“Happy Frappy” – Read a book that takes place near or on a river
“Parachute” – Take the plunge and read a book in a genre you don’t normally read


Goldfly (1997)

“Great Escape” – Read a book while you’re on a road trip, or in which a portion of the book takes place in a car
“Demons” – Read a book that features an evil entity or someone with evil intent - The Screwtape Letters: Also Includes "Screwtape Proposes a Toast" by C.S. Lewis
“Perfect” – Read a book about drugs and drug use
“Airport Song” – Read a book that you picked up at an airport, or that features an airplane/airport - Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
“Medicine” – Take a sick day and read a book
“X-Ray Eyes” – Read a song about a superhero or someone with strange powers
“Grin” – Read a book that makes you feel good
“Getting Even” – Read a book about revenge - A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas
“Bury Me” – Read a book in which a character dies - The Mental Floss History of the World: An Irreverent Romp through Civilization's Best Bits by Steve Weigand & Erik Sass
“Rocketship” – Read a book that takes place in outer space


Lost and Gone Forever (1999)

“What You Wish For” – Read a book that was on your wishlist
“Barrel of a Gun” – Read a book written by or featuring a movie star - Uncommon Type: Some Stories by Tom Hanks
“Either Way” – Read a book you’ve been on the fence about
“Fa Fa” – Read a book that features a made – up language or dialect
“I Spy” – Read a book from your TBR pile that is on one of your friend’s bookshelves
“Center of Attention” – Read a book written in first person - The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse
“All the Way Up to Heaven” – Read a book in your coziest, most favorite reading spot
“Happier” – Read whatever the fuck you want and take credit for it here
“So Long” – Read a book with more than 400 pages - Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway
“Two Points for Honesty” – Read a book that someone recommends to you and then tell them what you honestly thought of it
“Rainy Day” – Read a book on a rainy day - Death of a Gossip & Death of a Cad: The First Two Hamish Macbeth Mysteries by M.C. Beaton


Keep It Together (2003)

“Diane” – Read a book with a female protag - A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas
“Careful” – Read a book that you borrowed from someone (and had to return in pristine condition)
“Amsterdam” – Read a book set in a different country - The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse
“Backyard” – Read a book written by an author from your hometown/city/state
“Homecoming King” – Read a book about high school or a book that features teenagers - The Fever by Megan Abbott
“Ramona” – Read a book written by someone who identifies as female
“Jesus on the Radio” – Listen to a bookish podcast or an audiobook - Uncommon Type: Some Stories by Tom Hanks
“Keep it Together” – Read a book that keeps freaking you right the fuck out - The Mental Floss History of the World: An Irreverent Romp through Civilization's Best Bits by Steve Weigand & Erik Sass
“Come Downstairs and Say Hello” – Read a book while at, or hiding from, a family gathering
“Red Oyster Cult” – Read a book that features a mother or focuses on the character’s relationship with their mother - The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy
“Long Way Down” – Read a book written in third person
“I Hope Tomorrow is Like Today” – Read a book that takes place in the future - Shades of Grey - By Jasper Fforde
“Untitled Hidden Track” – Read a book that you uncovered accidentally
“Two at a Time” – Read a book written by two authors - The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
“Say That to My Face” – Read a book someone would classify as a “guilty pleasure”
“Starless Heaven” – Read a book at the beach
“Days” – Read a book that takes place over the span of just a few days - Shades of Grey - By Jasper Fforde


Ganging Up on the Sun (2006)

“Lightning Rod” – Read a Cli-Fi book (a book that features climate change or strange weather)
“Satellite” – Read a book that takes place primarily at night
“Manifest Destiny” – Read a book that someone randomly selects for you off your bookshelf - Lord of the Flies by William Golding
“One Man Wrecking Machine” – Read a Sci-Fi book (extra points if it features time travel) - Blackout by Connie Willis
“The Captain” – Read a book that takes place on the ocean or on a ship/boat
“The New Underground” – Read a book that takes place in a dystopian setting/time, or features a cult
“Ruby Falls” – Read a book with a color in the title
“C’mon” – Read a book that didn’t sit well with you
“Empire State” – Read a book that takes place in NYC or is written by an author who calls NYC home
“Dear Valentine” – Read a book that takes place on or around a holiday
“The Beginning of the End” – Read a book about the end of the world - Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway
“Hang On” – Read a book that’s about another book, or is written as a book in a book - The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction by Neil Gaiman


Satellite EP (2007)

“G Major” – Read a book about music or that features a band or musician
“Rise & Shine” – Spend the morning reading a book and take credit here
“Timothy Leary” – Read a book with a man’s name in the title
“I’m Through” – If you’re reading a book that you’re just not into, DNF it and take credit here - Hissy Fit by Mary Kay Andrews


Easy Wonderful (2010)

“Architects & Engineers” – Read a book that takes place in a city - A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas
“Do You Love Me” – Read a book by your favorite author
“On the Ocean” – Read a book that is dark and foreshadowing
“This Could All Be Yours” – Read a self-help or motivational book
“Stay with Me Jesus” – Read a book that features religion or is about a religious conspiracy - The Screwtape Letters: Also Includes "Screwtape Proposes a Toast" by C.S. Lewis
“Bad Bad World” – Read a book in which the title contains the same word twice
“This is How it Feels to Have a Broken Heart” – Read a book that takes place during a war or features a character who has served in a war) - Blackout by Connie Willis
“What You Call Love” – Read a book in your favorite genre - A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas
“That’s No Way to Get into Heaven” – Read a book in which the main character(s) does something wicked
“Jesus and Mary” – Read a book that features angels or a rapture/biblical end times - Good Omens - by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
“Hercules” – Read a book about a mythological character
“Do What You Want” – Read whatever floats your boat and take credit for it here
“Well” – Read a book that takes you down a weird, trippy rabbit hole - Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
“Jonah” – Read a book that features a giant fish or whale
“Lost at Sea” – Read a book and if it made it absolutely no sense to you, take credit here


On the Ocean EP (2011)

“Big White Bed” – Read a book in bed, and only in bed
“Every Moment” – Read a book that you just can’t put down/stop thinking about


Evermotion (2015)

“Long Night” – Read a book that kept you up all night
“Endlessly” – Read a book and take credit for it here if it felt like it was never going to end
“Doin’ it By Myself” – Read a book in which the protag is a hermit/antisocial/lonely
“Lazy Love” – Read a book instead of doing anything else and take credit for your procrastination here - The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
“Simple Machine” – Read a digital book - Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
“Expectation” – Read a book and if it didn’t meet your expectations, take credit here - The Fever by Megan Abbott
“Gangway” – Read a book with just one word in the title - Persuasion by Jane Austen
“Kid Dreams” – Read a book that features a child protagonist - Lord of the Flies by William Golding
“Never Coming Down” – Read a book that’s set in the 70’s
“It is Just What it is” – Read a book that’s pretty straightforward
“Farewell” – Read the last book written by an author - Persuasion by Jane Austen


Look Alive (2019)

“Look Alive” – Read a book about zombies or dead people - Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
“Don’t Go” – Read a book and if it made you wish it had never ended, take credit for it here - Good Omens - by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
“Hard Times” – Read a book you borrowed from the library - The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction by Neil Gaiman
“Hello Mr Sun” – Go outside, sit in the sun, and read a book, then take credit for it here
“Overexcited” – Read a book you could not wait to get your hands on
“Summertime” – Read a book that takes place in the summer - The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy
“Terrified” – Read a horror book
“Mind Kontrol” – Give into the hype and read a book that everyone else is talking about
“Not for Nothing” – Read a book that you know is going to piss you off
“When You Go Quiet” – Read a book that you get totally, 100% absorbed in and take credit for it here

Uncommon Type: Some Stories by Tom Hanks

This counts for:

* Barrel of a Gun” – Read a book written by or featuring a movie star
* Jesus on the Radio” – Listen to a bookish podcast or an audiobook

I really enjoyed the audiobook version, which Tom Hanks reads himself.

Yes!! I listened to this on audio as well. It was pretty cool to hear him reading it!

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

This counts for:

* Airport Song - Read a book that you picked up at an airport, or that features an airplane/airport
* Look Alive - Read a book about zombies or dead people

I have seen the movie, but (as is usually the case) the book is SO much better. Will be reading the other books in the series (I didn't know it was a series!!) as well.

Absolutely agree about the book being better!!

The View from the Cheap Seats by Neil Gaiman

This counts for:

* Hang On - Read a book that’s about another book, or is written as a book in a book
* Hard Times - Read a book you borrowed from the library

There were lots of categories I could have used for this book, but I am trying to limit myself to no more than 2 per book. Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors and reading this book gave me lots of recommendations for other books I need to read, since he spends so much of it talking about other authors and books.

The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy

This counts for:

* Red Oyster Cult - Read a book that features a mother or focuses on the character’s relationship with their mother
* Summertime - Read a book that takes place in the summer

Really enjoyed this one, which was not only a riveting mystery with unexpected twists and turns, but also a pretty spot-on indictment of the difficulty of being a mom in the age of the internet, social media and the mass judgments of others.

Hissy Fit by Mary Kay Andrews

This counts for:

* I'm Through - If you’re reading a book that you’re just not into, DNF it and take credit here

I started this one as an audiobook and I don't know if it was the reader, the writing or the subject but by 20 minutes in, I was dreading every sentence.

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

This counts for:

* Demons - Read a book that features an evil entity or someone with evil intent
* Stay With Me Jesus - Read a book that features religion or is about a religious conspiracy

I had read this one before when I was a teenager, but it was way more meaningful to me as an adult. Some very sobering viewpoints on the nature of people here and yet it's actually a pretty hopeful book. The additional 'Screwtape Proposes a Toast' included here was new to me.

Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde

This counts for:

* I Hope Tomorrow is Like Today - Read a book that takes place in the future
* Days - Read a book that takes place over the span of just a few days

This is one of my top five favorite books of all time and since Jasper Fforde is coming to our local bookshop next week, my husband and I wanted to re-read it before going to his signing. I hope he mentions something about when we can expect the sequel/prequel to this story as I am SO looking forward to more canon in this universe.

The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse

This counts for:

* Amsterdam - Read a book set in a different country
* Center of Attention - Read a book written in first person

I love the Jeeves stories and hadn't read this one before, although I've seen the BBC mini-series version, featuring Stephen Fry (who will forever be my ideal Jeeves) and Hugh Laurie (who is also an ideal Bertie Wooster). I love using this for Center of Attention, because Bertie's narration is what makes this book so great.

Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway

This counts for:

* The Beginning of the End - Read a book about the end of the world
* So Long - Read a book with more than 400 pages

At the beginning, I thought I might be using this one for a book that you thought was never going to end, because it took me a little while to get into it, but once I did, it was riveting.

Persuasion by Jane Austen

This counts for:

* Gangway - Read a book with just one word in the title
* Farewell - Read the last book written by an author

I have read every Jane Austen book except this one and somehow put off reading this one until this year. I enjoyed it, but it doesn't replaced Sense & Sensibility as my favorite Austen book.

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

This counts for:

* Two at a Time - Read a book written by two authors
* Lazy Love - Read a book instead of doing anything else and take credit for your procrastination here

I read the bulk of this one while at work (shhh) so it definitely counts for the procrastination thing. Found this at the library online and picked it out because it had two authors. I thought it was super compelling, with lots of surprises and twists that kept me guessing throughout.

The Wife Between Us is supposedly going to have a movie adaptation, however, there hasn't been much news since that was announced a couple years ago.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

This counts for:

* "Manifest Destiny" - Read a book that someone randomly selects for you off your bookshelf
* "Kid Dreams" - Read a book that features a child protagonist

I asked my friend David to pick a book for me because he is the one who turned me on to Guster in the first place. He chose Lord of the Flies, because it was the only book on my shelves that he had read. (He's not much of a reader.) I hadn't read it since high school and had forgotten how unbelievably sad it was.

I did a reread of that book as an adult. It's pretty messed up!

The Mental Floss History of the World by Steve Weigand and Erik Sass

This counts for:

* "Bury Me" - Read a book in which a character dies
* "Keep it Together' - Read a book that keeps freaking you right the fuck out

I overachieved on both of these prompts with this book. Because let's face it, nothing freaks you right the fuck out more than history and the countless wars, tortures and inhumanities that mankind has perpetrated over the centuries. And millions and millions of characters died in this one, often during those wars, tortures and inhumanities.

Blackout by Connie Willis

This counts for:

* "One Man Wrecking Machine" - Read a Sci-Fi book (extra points if it features time travel)
* "This is How it Feels to Have a Broken Heart" - Read a book that takes place during a war or features a character who has served in a war

I love Connie Willis so having a good reason to go back to her Oxford Time Travel series (yes, I get the bonus points!) was a treat. I hadn't read this one and was quite surprised to see that the story was continued into another book, which I will be happy to read now that I'm fully invested in these characters. I don't think any of her books will ever top To Say Nothing of the Dog, which is one of my all time favorites. But it's really good, especially for fans of historical fiction.

A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas

This counts for:

* "Getting Even" - Read a book about revenge
* "Diane" - Read a book with a female protag

I really enjoyed this book and will be reading the other books in this series. The idea of Sherlock Holmes being a public front for an exceptionally bright female detective forced to hide behind a male persona is intriguing in and of itself, but Ms. Thomas fills this book with awesome characters and keeps you guessing right up to the end.

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

This counts for:

* “Jesus and Mary” - Read a book that features angels or a rapture/biblical end times
* “Don’t Go” - Read a book and if it made you wish it had never ended, take credit for it here

This is one of my top five favorite books and since the miniseries version is coming out next month, my husband and I are listening to the audiobook together. I love these characters and this story so much that I never want it to end. I'm hoping the miniseries does a good job with the story - the casting has me hopeful.

A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas

This counts for:

* “Architects & Engineers” - Read a book that takes place in a city
* “What You Call Love” - Read a book in your favorite genre

It didn't take me long to finish this second book in the Lady Sherlock series. I liked it even better than the first book and am on the waitlist at the library for the next one. This takes place in London and is in one of my favorite genres - mystery. To be honest, though, I didn't realize how much I love mysteries until recently.

Chris wrote: "
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
"

I remember reading this years ago and really enjoying it!

The Fever by Megan Abbott

This counts for:

* 'Homecoming King' - Read a book about high school or a book that features teenagers
* 'Expectation' - Read a book and if it didn’t meet your expectations, take credit here

I thought this book started off really well, but then I felt like it lost its way. I thought the plot was intriguing and I liked that the story was told from three different viewpoints (none of which were entirely reliable). But the resolution was a letdown and I was disappointed by the ending.

Death of a Gossip & Death of a Cad by M.C. Beaton

This counts for:

* 'Rainy Day' - Read a book on a rainy day

I had watched the miniseries 'Hamish Macbeth' from the UK several years ago and just recently started rewatching it again, which made me want to read at least one of the books in this series. I enjoyed both of these a lot and was surprised at how different the characterization of Hamish is from the book to the show. If you're an Agatha Christie fan, you should give these books a try.

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

This counts for:

* 'Well' - Read a book that takes you down a weird, trippy rabbit hole
* 'Simple Machine' - Read a digital book

I had some time to kill during a particularly slow workday and the library had this book available as an eBook, so I checked it out to read and finished it really quickly. It's a compelling read, with well written characters and I was fascinated by the main character's OCD. After finishing the book, I read a lot more about different types of OCD and learned quite a lot.

If you like reading fictional accounts of OCD characters or characters with extreme quirks, you might really enjoy Steve Martin's The Pleasure of My Company, A.M. Holmes' This Book Will Save Your Life, and Dave King's The Ha-Ha