Sylvie’s Comments (group member since Jun 29, 2019)

Sylvie’s comments from the Three Mugs Book Club group.

The group members said they would like something light hearted or at least with a happy ending. Challenge accepted! Inspiration can be found on Reddit’s r/Suggestmeabook (https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/). Below are some starters. Please nominate by Sunday, Nov. 15.

A Protector’s Beginning by Kyle T. Davis (4.69 stars, Bryant reco)
Described on Goodreads as "a fun thrill ride," this novel's young hero is part James Bond and part Prince Caspian. Reviewers said it has "action, adventure, magic and humor."
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett (4.26 stars, part of Discworld, but the start of Tiffany Aching’s story).
Lighthearted and positive, This story includes the Fae and Little People. Tiffany Aching is a brave, kind young woman learning to use her magical ability and be a better person.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

The Tomb by F. Paul Wilson (4.05 stars)
Repairman Jack doesn’t deal with electronic appliances—he fixes situations for people, often putting himself in deadly danger. The book has "intrigue, Indian Mythology, demons and a rather nasty revenge/curse thrown in for good measure."
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Seven Deadly Wonders by Matthew Reilly (4.07 stars)
This book is described as "a rollicking adventure that aims for the sort of pure WOW and AWE factor that is generally missing from today's literature, taking us on a tour through all the Seven Wonders of the World..."
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames (4.31 stars)
This book was described as "an engaging and fun adventure where a band of mercenaries whose days have passed are coming together for a final time to rescue the daughter of their frontman."
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

The Palace Job by Patric Weekes (3.82 stars, Sylvie reco)
A witty crew of thieves ends up inadvertently saving people. Includes floating cities, wisecracks, swashbuckling adventure, elves and a dragon.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch (4.27 stars)
This book is about a young orphan, Locke Lamora, who dodges death and slavery, becoming a thief under the tutelage of a gifted con artist. Described as a book with "interesting characters, has a swiftly moving plot, and takes place in an interesting fantasy setting." Patrick Rothfuss wrote that it was better than his book, Name of the Wind.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

The poll results are in! We’ll be reading The Fifth Child (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...), a story by Doris Lessing for Nov. 7, and Blindsight (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...), a novel by Peter Watts for Nov. 19.

The polls are up! Vote now!

Hi friends, in October we discussed The Mist novella and movie on a rainy, misty evening and will talk about Coraline this Thursday Oct. 22.

The group voiced interest in continuing the horror theme. Have a horror story or book to nominate?

The next 2 dates are Nov. 7 (Three Mugs) - short horror story, and Nov. 19 (online) - horror novel.

Please reply by Oct. 22 with nominations to include in both polls.

That event time is 7 pm on Google Meet. https://meet.google.com/bjm-nobx-hmf

Book club reminder for Sept 24 2020

Hi all! We’ll be taking some time this Thursday, Sept. 24, to talk online about our reactions to the current book club pick:
Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith

Will you be joining us? Please RSPV by Thursday at noon.
Here’s the link to join with Google Meet: https://meet.google.com/bjm-nobx-hmf

Our September theme has been “Stories that Inspired Film.” The first story was Three-Ten to Yuma by Elmore Leonard. The discussion Sept 12 at Three Mugs was really fun!

If you procrastinated a teeny bit😊, the ebook can be purchased in the Kindle Store for $11.99.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00351DSCS/...

If you procrastinated a lot (lol😄), you still have time to watch the show! It’s available for rent on YouTube, iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon Prime for $3.99.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...

And finally...Where to find our Sept. Picks:
Three-ten to Yuma, described by one reader as "12 pages and riddled with more tension than you can stand," can be downloaded free at http://storyoftheweek.loa.org/2018/04....

Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith can be purchased in the Kindle Store for $11.99.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00351DSCS/...

Thanks for voting. For Sat, Sept. 12: 3:10 to Yuma by Elmore Leonard (short story). For Thurs, Sept. 24: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, by Seth Grahame-Smith (novel). See you there!

Forgot to mention September’s theme - stories with a film version.

All, the polls are up! We will choose a short story or novella and a novel for Sept. 12 and 24, respectively. Check the polls area of our Goodreads group, Three Mugs Book Club: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/9...

Hi folks! We are coming up to our discussion of Beloved this Thursday at 6:30. I hope you have found it as worthwhile as I did. Beautiful book. As a reminder, if you want to meet online as planned, please RSVP by Thursday Aug. 20 at noon, otherwise you can catch up with me at Three Mugs. :)

Great, so far. It’s really sad, but there is a lot of beauty in the way the main character Sethe sees things.

“When her dreams roamed outside 124, anywhere they wished, she saw them sometimes in beautiful trees, their little legs barely visible in the leaves. Sometimes they ran along the railroad track laughing, too loud, apparently, to hear her because they never did turn around. When she woke the house crowded in on her...”

I looked up the spiritual Paul D was singing and found an interesting article about the cultural purpose of spirituals with some great examples to listen to.

Here is the song from Beloved and the article that mentions it:

Lay my head on the railroad line, Train come along, pacify my mind. If I had my weight in lime, I’d whip my captain till he went stone blind. Five-cent nickel, Ten-cent dime, Busting rocks is busting time.

https://link.medium.com/wS6RERx0w8

I hope you're enjoying our book club selection for August by Black author Toni Morrison, Beloved. This promises to be a thought-provoking look at slavery and the racism that follows even after the slaves are freed. I just came across this article posted to a Quaker group on Facebook. This author turned the lens of her thoughts onto her own actions after reading Beloved, and found there is more work to be done. The article, titled "What Toni Morrison taught me about my people, the Quakers" is at https://baptistnews.com/article/what-....

I hope you're enjoying our poll winner written by Black science fiction author N.K. Jemisin. This is a title that's found its way into our polls more than once; and finally we have voted to read it. We'll meet at Three Mugs to discuss it on Saturday, July 25 at 6 pm - a bit more than a week from now! It's okay if you didn't finish the book as I am sure we'll have lots to discuss anyway.

Hi friends! How’s your reading of Dies the Fire going? We’ll check in Thursday at 6:30 pm in an online meeting (details below). Let me know if you can attend. By the way, the poll is almost closed (https://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/9...) for our next two selections featuring Black authors. We’ll announce winners shortly.

Join Microsoft Teams Meeting Thursday at 6:30:
+1 347-966-4055 United States, New York City (Toll)
Conference ID: 705 022 254#

https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-...
Tap on the link or paste it in a browser to join.

nominations: LauraDenise suggestions:

Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delany (1966) - sci fi, about the power of language, space battles

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Beloved by Toni Morrison (1987) - Pulitzer Prize winning novel about a former slave

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...


SD suggestions:

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin (2015) - apocalyptic sci fi about a mother's quest to save her daughter

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor (2015) - Hugo and Nebula winning novella about a bright young African who goes into a space-based university and encounters a dangerous alien race

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi (2019) - YA near-future sci fi about two sisters

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

The next Three Mugs meetings are July 9 (online, S.M. Stirling Dies the Fire), July 25 (Three Mugs), and August 13 (online). It's about time to nominate for July 25 and August 13. How about if we focus on black authors for these two dates? Nominate your favorite book, novella or short story by a black author by end of the day Sunday, June 28. The top 2 votes will be our next two reads. Sound good?

The short story that got the most votes is Wool by Hugh Howie.

We will discuss it on Sat, June 20 at 6 pm at Three Mugs.

The novel we picked is Dies the Fire. 

We will discuss that selection about 2 weeks later, on Thurs, July 9 at 6:30 by online meeting. Links to be sent a few days prior.

Thanks Matt for putting up the polls! Remember, we need votes by Weds, June 10 on both polls. We will be reading a short story (or two) Sat, June 20 at the brewery and a novel Thurs, July 9 in a Zoom meeting.


Short story:
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...


Novel:
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

and Bradley Horner had this to say about " Wub": Me, personally, I'd have just talked with the poor alien and enjoyed his company, but you know how these idiot humans are. Always thinking with their stomachs. :)