Dear Book Club members,
On April 2, we held our 20th Book Club meeting through Zoom. Due to COVID-19 we were not able to hold our usual face-to-face lunch time meeting but, thanks to technology, our meeting was held online. Thank you to everyone who attended. It was great to be able to see and/or hear each other and to share a fantasy novel or other novels currently being read. I think that we all enjoyed the opportunity to have a mini-tour of Mrs Hanratty’s special book nook which extended throughout the meeting as Mrs Hanratty located books being discussed in her personal collection.
I am quite close to finishing the urban fantasy novel, Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd but I sense that there will definitely be a sequel (or possibly more novels, maybe a trilogy). I am curious as to how the author will finish this story so that there is some sense of conclusion at the end of the first novel. It is definitely not the end of Anouk’s story (the central character). If you have read and enjoyed The Cruel Prince by Holly Black or City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, then I think you would also enjoy reading Grim Lovelies. You can access the Sora ebook here.
The other fantasy novels discussed during our meeting included:
- Percy Jackson & the Greek Gods by Rick Riordan (Rachel)
- Percy Jackson & the Greek heroes by Rick Riordan (Rachel)
- Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer (Gretel)
- Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Nitika)
- Yellow Brick War by Danielle Paige (Dorothy must die series) (Erica)
- Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas (adult fantasy fiction) (Jade)
- Daughter of smoke and bone by Laini Taylor (Sarah)
- Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare (Bethany)
Other non-fantasy books discussed included:
- Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell (Nitika)
- Broken things by Lauren Oliver (Erica)
- To kill a mockingbird by Harper Lee (Jade; Ms McNamara)
- To kill a mockingbird (graphic novel) by Harper Lee; Fred Fordham (Mrs Sylaprany)
- A monster calls by Patrick Ness (Mrs Hanratty)
- Lenny’s book of everything by Karen Foxlee (Mrs Sylaprany)
Where possible, I have included the links to the books discussed in Sora, so that you can access them easily while on holidays and with public libraries currently closed.
The eBook copies of One of us is next by Karen McManus are now available for students who attended our Zoom meeting. Check your Shelf in your Sora account to access your copy. For book club members, it has been assigned to you for an extended loan to give you time to read it before our next meeting in Week 3, Term 2.
I hope that you are all enjoying time with your families and time to relax during the April school holidays.
Stay well and stay safe and happy reading until our next book club chat!
Mrs Sylaprany, Mrs Ryan & Mrs Hanratty