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Olivia’s Book Club -- The books and meeting details

Everything we’ve read from the beginning

↗ Facebook group

Podcast: ↗ Apple Podcasts | ↗ Spotify | ↗ Stitcher | ↗ Google Podcasts | ↗ Amazon Music

Current book

“Hang the Moon” by Jeannette Walls

Hang the Moon by Jeannette Walls
Hang the Moon by Jeannette Walls(Arizona's Family)

Kick off a summer of reading with the next Olivia’s Book Club discussion, meeting with your fellow readers IN PERSON at the Scottsdale Civic Center Library at 3839 N. Drinkwater on Tuesday, June 20, from 5 pm - 6 pm.

We’ll be discussing Jeannette Walls’ instant New York Times bestseller, HANG THE MOON.  Set in Virginia during Prohibition, HANG THE MOON tells the story of Sallie Kincaid, a feisty young woman who refuses to be anyone but herself.

From the author of the heartbreaking and beautiful memoir THE GLASS CASTLE, Wall’s novel made numerous Most Anticipated Lists for 2023, including Oprah Daily, Elle, and LitHub.

The library has numerous copies of HANG THE MOON for members to borrow, or you can purchase from Changing Hands Bookstore (in person or online) using the code Olivia20 for a 20% discount.

If you haven’t already, join the bookworm buzz in the Facebook Group:  Olivia’s Book Club, and see you June 20!

This year

“Signal Fires” by Dani Shapiro

Dani Shapiro
Dani Shapiro(Arizona's Family)

In Dani Shapiro’s SIGNAL FIRES, life on Division Street isn’t always as idyllic as it seems. The author of the #1 bestselling memoir, INHERITANCE, this work of fiction decades in the making, was called a Best Fiction Book of 2022 by TIME. For more about her inspiration for the book, listen to the Olivia’s Book Club Podcast with Dani Shapiro here.

“The Wish” by Nicholas Sparks

Olivia's Book Club is currently reading Nicholas Sparks' THE WISH. The author has sold more...
Olivia's Book Club is currently reading Nicholas Sparks' THE WISH. The author has sold more than 150 million books worldwide, and calls THE WISH a "novel that was more than twenty years in the making."(azfamily)

The author has sold more than 150 million books worldwide, and calls THE WISH a “novel that was more than twenty years in the making.” The story revolves around Maggie Dawes as a teen facing a crisis in 1996, and later as an accomplished woman in 2019. THE WISH was published in 2019 and is now available in paperback.

Be sure to join the Facebook group, if you haven’t already!

“The Night Shift” by Alex Finlay

It's been called one of the best or most-anticipated books of 2022 by Newsweek, PopSugar, E!...
It's been called one of the best or most-anticipated books of 2022 by Newsweek, PopSugar, E! News, Goodreads, and more.(Olivia Fierro and Changing Hands Bookstore)

“Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus

"Meet Elizabeth Zott: a one-of-a-kind scientist in 1960s California whose career takes a detour...
"Meet Elizabeth Zott: a one-of-a-kind scientist in 1960s California whose career takes a detour when she becomes the unlikely star of a beloved TV cooking show."(Changing Hands Bookstore)

“The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot” by Marianne Cronin

It is described as funny, endearing and uplifting.
It is described as funny, endearing and uplifting.(Changing Hands Bookstore)

“One Italian Summer” by Rebecca Serle

Rebecca Serle is taking readers to Positano, Italy in her latest novel, “One Italian Summer.”...
Rebecca Serle is taking readers to Positano, Italy in her latest novel, “One Italian Summer.” The story follows Katy, who, in the depths of grief after her mother’s death, goes alone on a planned mother-daughter trip to the Amalfi Coast.(Changing Hands Bookstore)

“Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir

"Project Hail Mary" cover
This sci-fi selection was our first read of 2022.(Changing Hands Bookstore)

2021

“Verity” by Colleen Hoover

"Verity" cover
This was our last book of 2021.(Changing Hands Bookstore)

“Falling” by T.J. Newman

"Falling" cover
This one is by a local author.(Changing Hands Bookstore)

“The Guncle” by Steven Rowley

Author Steven Rowley joined us for the discussion.
Author Steven Rowley joined us for the discussion.(Changing Hands Bookstore)

“Things You Save in a Fire” by Katherine Center

"Things You Save in a Fire" cover
Katherine Center is all about the joy, writing characters and stories that pull at your heart.(Changing Hands Bookstore)

“The Four Winds” by Kristin Hannah

"The Four Winds" cover
Kristin Hannah, No. 1 New York Times Bestselling author shared two shocking surprises about changes she made to both "The Four Winds" and "The Nightingale."(Changing Hands Bookstore)

“Anxious People” by Fredrik Backman

"Anxious People" cover
"This story is about a lot of things, but mostly about idiots," writes Fredrik Backman in "Anxious People."(Changing Hands Bookstore)

2020

“The Giver of Stars” by Jojo Moyes

"The Giver of Stars" cover
This book was fantastic and deeply enjoyed by the club. Historical fiction, it tells the story of a group of women known as "Packhorse Librarians" in rural Kentucky, who bond when they're brought together by their work delivering library books by horseback.(Changing Hands Bookstore)

“Then She Was Gone” by Lisa Jewell

"Then She Was Gone" cover
Lisa Jewell is great at writing page-turners that feel like you can easily finish in a weekend, and this was no exception.(Changing Hands Bookstore)

“The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah

"The Nightingale" cover
Kristin Hannah's "The Nightingale" was overwhelmingly the book club's favorite pick of the year. The World War II tale of two French sisters, Isabelle and Vianne, is at times gut-wrenching, other times life-affirming. A well-researched work of historical fiction, Hannah shines a light on the crucial role brave women played in the French resistance to the Nazis.(Changing Hands Bookstore)

“Beach Read” by Emily Henry

"Beach Read" cover
Summertime brought more months at home, so I picked "Beach Read" as a literary escape. Emily Henrie's story of two novelists with a long-standing rivalry who find themselves in neighboring beach houses was enjoyable, romantic, and well-written. It was a great summer selection when we couldn't actually get to a beach.(Changing Hands Bookstore)

“How Not to Die Alone” by Richard Roper

"How Not to Die Alone" cover
Months into the pandemic, "How Not to Die Alone" by Richard Roper felt like a timely selection as we were in the thick of adjusting to a socially distanced lifestyle. It is a dark, comedic story of a lonely Brit named Andrew, whose job takes him into the homes of people who died alone, many of the deaths not even noticed for great lengths of time.(Changing Hands Bookstore)

“The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid

"The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" cover
I selected this book because I fell in love with Taylor Jenkins Reid's more recent release, "Daisy Jones and The Six" and this did not disappoint. Her unique writing style uses emails, social media posts, and letters in telling of the fascinating life of a famous Hollywood movie star ready to spill her secrets in a tell-all memoir.(Changing Hands Bookstore)

“Long Bright River” by Liz Moore

"Long Bright River" cover
Set in a Philadelphia suburb in the grips of the opioid epidemic, the book seems to cross genres.(Changing Hands Bookstore)

2019

“Beyond the Pale” by Jennifer Millikin

"Beyond the Pale" cover
The love triangle, family dynamics, and musings on friendship all made an impact on readers, who were excited to hear how Jennifer Millikin decided which characters would end up together.(Changing Hands Bookstore)

“City of Girls” by Elizabeth Gilbert

"City of Girls" cover
While most of the readers liked this one, there were some dissenting opinions.(Changing Hands Bookstore)

“Stay Up With Hugo Best” by Erin Somers

"Stay Up With Hugo Best" cover
The contemporary novel centers on a young writer, June Bloom, and a surprisingly unique relationship that forms between Bloom and and a famous late-night television host, Hugo Best.(Changing Hands Bookstore)

“My Brilliant Friend” by Elena Ferrante

"My Brilliant Friend" cover
It is the story of two friends, Elena and Lila, and a deep look at how the friendships we form shape who we become.(Changing Hands Bookstore)

“Enemies in Love” by Alexis Clark

"Enemies in Love" cover
Written by journalist-turned-author Alexis Clark, “Enemies in Love” is the true story of a German POW and an African-American nurse, who to their own surprise, fall in love.(Changing Hands Bookstore)

It started with -- “Nine Perfect Strangers” by Liane Moriarty

"Nine Perfect Strangers" cover
For those of you who are familiar with Liane Moriarty’s writing, you’ll be busy looking for the connections between the characters and the surprise twists that await.(Changing Hands Bookstore)