Buffy the Vampire Slayer

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“In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer.”

This post is my elevator pitch for one of the greatest shows ever written: Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It is the story of a sixteen-year-old girl named Buffy Summers, who is descended from a long line of female warriors. Buffy battles the forces of darkness (vampires, werewolves, demons, and the occasional witch) while attending Sunnydale High, which happens to have been built atop a Hellmouth (it’s a thing).

Thankfully, Buffy can vent about the struggles of slayage with her best friends, Willow and Xander. Willow and Xander never hesitate when following Buffy into dark sewers or eerie mausoleum. Oh, and the love of her life is a two-hundred year-old vampire named Angel. Check out The Caffeinated Librarians podcast, where Simona, Louis, Katie, and Joe chat about Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Copies of seasons one through seven of Buffy the Vampire Slayer are available for checkout through the MHLS catalog.

—ST

Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors

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This month the Monday Evening Book Group met to discuss Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors. This novel is told in the perspectives of three sisters in the wake of the death of their fourth sister, Nicky. Nicky, in a lot of ways, seemed to be the heart that kept them together. Without her, the remaining sisters retreat into their own corners of the world to grieve or destroy their lives, depending on how you look at it. A year later they are pulled back together, forced to confront their sister’s death, and each other.

This well written, heartfelt book was well received by group members. Some did find it predictable, but the writing and strong character development overshadow the spare plot. When aske who was their favorite sister, group members unanimously agreed on Bonnie. Bonnie’s easy to love, as she channeled her addictive tendencies into the disciplined life of a boxer. She ran away, but she comes back and you can’t help but cheer for her love story. Avery, a decade sober, and Lucky, in active addiction, are more complicated characters and engage in more dangerous and erratic behaviors. Lucky’s chapters, in particular, were difficult for some members to read. Yet, you root for them all, and Mellors rewards readers with a hopeful epilogue.

Our next Book is The Sequel, Jean Hanff Korelitz’s follow-up to The Plot. Our meeting is on March 2nd at 6:30pm.

—EW

By the Book by: Jasmine Guillory

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This month, the Meet-Cute Book Group met to discuss By the Book, by Jasmine Guillory. This is the second novel in the Meant to Be series. The main character, Isabelle, is a young publicist who is desperately seeking her big break. She is overjoyed when she is given the opportunity of a lifetime to travel to Santa Barbara, California, and meet with one of her firm’s most successful-albeit crabby-authors, Beau Towers. Beau Towers is less than thrilled when Isabelle arrives at his mansion and flat out refuses to cooperate with her. Isabelle, however, is not one to give up easily, and she convinces Beau to begin working on his manuscript.

The group’s opinions on the book were mixed, with some members enjoying the subtle call back to Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and others feeling that the story lacked what made the Disney film enchanting and magical. Our next book for discussion is Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, by V.E. Schwab.

The meeting will take place on Thursday, February 12th, at 6:00 pm. New members are always welcome.

—ST

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

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This month the Monday Evening Book Group met to discuss The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins. Cam is the adopted son of the scandalous heiress, Ruby McTavish. Ruby has been in the news since she was kidnapped as a baby, and her notoriety did not end with her return home. Despite multiple marriages (and dead husbands) and to the chagrin of her sister, Nelle, Ruby is the sole heir of her father’s fortune and their family home. When she dies, Cam escapes escapes the McTavish home to start over on the west coast. Ten years later, Cam with his wife, Jules, must return home to deal with the covetous family who never really accepted him. Jules has plans of her own for Ashby house, if only she can make Cam understand.

Told through Jules and Cam’s alternating perspectives, news clippings, and letters from Ruby, The Heiress has a multifaceted complex plot and minimal character development. Most members could not put this book down when they started, and a few didn’t finish due to disinterest in the characters. Our discussion was very full and, even after a full hour, we probably could have kept talking about it. We barely talked about Ruby’s husbands except to consider they were superfluous to an already overburden plot. There may have been simpler ways to make Ruby notorious, even enigmatic, than what was portrayed in the book. Overall, if you like plot driven thrillers that take place over duel timelines, this might be the right book for you.

Our next meeting is on February 2nd at 6:30pm. We will be discussing Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors.

–EW

A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston

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This Thursday, the Meet-Cute Book Group met to discuss A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston. Eileen Merriweather is on her way to meet-up with members of her book group when her car unexpectedly breaks down. Eileen finds herself in a picturesque town that is strangely familiar. Imagine her surprise when she discovers that she has entered Eloraton, the town of her favorite romance series. Eileen believes that she has been sent to Eloraton to provide each of the inhabitants with the storybook ending they deserve. There’s just one tiny hiccup in her plans: Anders, the handsome and grumpy bookstore owner. He isn’t happy with Eileen’s meddling and is determined to see her leave Eloraton for good.

Most of the attendees enjoyed the novel’s premise of a fan getting the opportunity to inhabit the world of her favorite novel. Some attendees did not find the immediate attraction between the leads believable, especially since they spent the majority of the time at odds with one another. I was of the opinion that the novel could’ve been shorter and that the plot dragged. However, the overall consensus was that A Novel Love Story was an entertaining read. Our next book for discussion is By the Book by Jasmine Guillory. The meeting will take place on Thursday January 8th at 6:00 pm. New members are always welcome.

—ST

The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl

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This month, the Monday Evening Book Group met to discuss The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl. Stella has lived a very quiet, simple life, determined to be the complete opposite of her extravagant, attention seeking mother. When her mother unexpectedly dies, Stella is left with an interesting inheritance: a one way ticket to Paris. Reluctantly, Stella goes to Paris resolved to get it over with and return to the life she understands. Paris has different plans, however, and Stella’s sighting of an alluring dress opens a whole new world to her.

This book had a mixed reception from group members. Some relished in the descriptions of Paris, the food, and clothes, while other found the story lacking in plot and a little contrived. We all agreed that Reichl’s rich descriptions of food were a highlight. The history woven into the story was also greatly appreciated and inspired some members to do their own research. We had a great discussion about food and travel.

Our next meeting is on January 5. We will be discussing The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins. New members are always welcome.

—EW

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters

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This moth, the Monday Evening Book Group met to discuss The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters. As Joe nears the end of his life, he recounts his life from the summer his younger sister, Ruthie, disappeared to the present. The guilt he carries from his childhood, turns into a rage that poisons his life as an adult until he is able to return home and face the damage he has done. In altering chapters, Norma recounts a lonely childhood with a sneaking feeling that her parents are keeping something from her.

The whole truth of what happened to Ruthie lingers in the back of your mind throughout the novel, however, this story is not a mystery. Instead, it is a book about cause and effect, forgiveness, and family. Our discussion included adoption and how it was handled in the 60s, the impact of DNA testing has had on families with secrets, and mental health. It was a lively discussion for a well-written book. Some thought the ending came a together a little too neatly, but, overall, the group enjoyed the book.

Our next book it The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl. Our discussion will be on December 1 at 6:30pm. New members are welcome.

This Spells Love by Katie Robb

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Last Thursday, the Meet-Cute Book Group met to discuss This Spells Love by Katie Robb. After a rather hard breakup, Gemma meets up with her sister, her best friend Dax, and her eccentric aunt to eat, drink, and wallow in self misery. Gemma’s aunt states that she knows a spell that will enable Gemma to get over her heartbreak. Gemma doesn’t believe in spells, but she’s a little drunk, and decides that it can’t hurt to indulge her aunt. The spell works, and Gemma is thrust into an alternate reality in which she never dated her ex, and Dax no longer remembers her. Gemma learns that the spell is reversable if she can convince Dax to kiss her. Attendees enjoyed the book and agreed that the characters were likeable and relatable.

Our next book is Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall. Our discussion will be on Thursday, November 3rd at 6:00 pm.

—ST

Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li

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Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li, the Monday Evening Book Group’s October pick, has an intriguing premise, but doesn’t quite stick the landing. Harvard senior, Will Chen, is trapped to put together a team of unlikely thieves. Their job is to conduct multiple heists at museums around the world with the ultimate goal of returning art, looted from the Summer Palace in Beijing, to China. In between plotting heists, the team ponder what life after college will look like, what their dreams for the future are, their responsibilities to their families, and the nature of their identities as Chinese-Americans.

Li’s writing style was difficult for some group members to get into. At times, it felt repetitive and the pacing was off. With the premise, some of us were expecting more humor, but the book and the characters took everything very seriously. The repatriation of stolen art is a serious topic, but some humor may have lightened-up the first half of the book. The last half of the book is better developed and redeems the book as a whole. It is clear that Li knew how she wanted to end the story and she does a great job at it. The characters find their footing and the twist ending satisfies.

Our next book is The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters. Our discussion will be on Monday, November 3rd at 6:30.

—EW

Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli

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This month the Meet-Cute Book Group discussed Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli. Heartless Hunter is the first group in Ciccarelli’s young adult series, The Crimson Moth. It is a fantasy novel about a young noble woman named Rune, who masquerades as the vigilante known only as the Crimson Moth, in order to save witches from government execution. Rune’s identity as the Crimson Moth is compromised when she attracts the attention of an infamous witch hunter, Gideon Sharpe.

Our next meeting is on Thursday, October 9th at 6:00pm. We will be discussing This Spells Love by Kate Robb. A digital copy of this is available on Libby.

—ST