Agawam Pageturners Book Club's Discussion of The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry

The group had an interesting discussion about The Lace Reader. Some people in the group liked the book, while others did not like it. Those who did not like it complained that they had too hard a time keeping track where the characters were. Another complaint was the book was slowly building and then all the blocks came tumbling out at once at the end. One person said the book showed talent, but it seemed the author was in a hurry to finish it. Some said it read like a movie. Another complaint was the religious stereotypes of the fundamentalists in the book. People who enjoyed the book said it was a fun read, and that there the author gave subtle clues in the book to what was going to happen in the end. The big surprise for some readers was that Sophya aka as Towner never had a twin sister Lyndley that grew up with her. Lyndsey, her twin sister's correct name, died at birth. Lyndley was a split personality of Towner from the trauma she experienced as a child. She saw her mother beaten by her father, and she was sexually abused by her father, Cal. Towner meets a police detective Rafferty in the novel. One person said they were both walking wounded, which is why they would not be good for each other. Rafferty was a recovering alcoholic. Another said he was caring and protective of Towner. One person said he was as needy as Towner was weak. Some people thought Towner suffered from survivor's guilt from her baby twin sister's death. However, when Angela gave birth to her and Cal's baby, she named it Lyndsey, and seemed to Towner that Lyndsey finally had her chance to live. A very interesting discussion enjoyed by all.

Night Bookers Book Club Discussion of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

The group had a lively discussion about the book. Some people liked it very much. They enjoyed the mystery and the going back and forth from the present time to the Salem Witch Trials time. Also, one person stated she believed some people can do more with their senses, like Connie, Grace, Sophia, and Deliverance. Several people did not like the demise of the professor. They though he was a cliche, a too obvious villain. One person expected to feel more when the novel was set in Salem. Others thought the Salem setting was the best and the rest of the novel cliche. Many people did not believe Connie had the powers to make a plant come to life or heal her boyfriend, Sam. Some wondered if the author was making fun of witchcraft. Others thought they had no problems with Connie creating witchcraft; they had a problem that it worked. Others said they accepted the witchcraft as just part of the story and did not analyze whether it could be true or factual. Another woman said that there are miracles in the New Testament, so therefore why couldn't the things that happened in this book happen too. Another person said she read the witchcraft as part of the story. She didn't analyze whether it was true or factual. People were impressed with the descriptions in the book. People felt they were really in Salem at the Witch Trials, or in the jail with the "witches." Some people liked Connie's mother Grace immediately; others had to warm to her. Some never did. They thought there was a role reversal between mother and daughter, and that the mother gave the daughter a great burden in cleaning out a house the mother owned. It was a great book for discussion.

New Books Added in August.

Here are the new books added in August: Adult, Children's, Teens.