The books I see at a constant loop on my social media are always the book club picks – Reeses bookclub, read with Jenna, Belletrist, Onward bookclub, Amaries bookclub, Oprah’s booksclub, Good morning america’s book pick etc. Of course it brainwashes you to want to read the books you see over and over and over everytime you look at your phone. I am heavily influenced by this, NYTBestseller lists, Reading lists, Obama’s favorites etv. But I wanted to chose one bookclub to follow through the year, but I can’t figure out which one has the books that best cater to my taste, so I decided to try them all to see which bookclub is the better fit for me.
To see my criteria, favorite sample books and read the first post on the journey you can go to the first post I made in january.
The first problem I’m running into this month is that these books aren’t released yet. Two of them will be released on januar 31st, but the third doesn’t come out until february 7, which is ridiculous for a book club pick that is supposed to start 7 days earlier. That’s a week into the month. Not to mention delivery time to order and get it delivered if you’re not fortunate enough to live near a bookstore that stocks these books.
The february book club picks:
Diverse spines: Moonrise over New Jessup by Jamila Minnicks
A historical fiction novel set in the 50’s about a young girl – Alice, who leaves home and arrives at a town with only black people where she falls in love with a man who could jeopardize their community.
Winner of the 2021 PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction, a thought-provoking and enchanting debut about a Black woman doing whatever it takes to protect all she loves at the beginning of the civil rights movement in Alabama.
Reese’s book club: The house of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson
A historical fiction novel set in the 1950’s Philadelphia and Washington DC. About two women, Ruby and Eleanor who’s lives will collide in unexpected ways as they try to create the lives they dream of.
Reading about this book, I have to say, I’m intrigued. It has some great potential even though I don’t particularly love historial fiction. Looking forward to it. (Hope I can get it, since it’s one of the books not released until feburary 7th.)
Read with Jenna: Maame by Jessica George
Maddie is the primary caretaker of her father with parkinsons. Her mother spends most her time in Ghana, but when she returns one day, she takes the opportunity to flee the coop and live her own life for a while.
Described as: “Smart, funny, and deeply affecting, Maame deals with the themes of our time with humor and poignancy: from familial duty and racism, to female pleasure, the complexity of love, and the life-saving power of friendship. Most important, it explores what it feels like to be torn between two homes and cultures―and it celebrates finally being able to find where you belong.” It sounds like the kind of book I would love!
Expected publication january 31st.
Good morning America: River sing me home by Eleanor Shearer
Another historical fiction. This one is about a mothers journey to find her children in the aftermath of slavery. Set in 1834, during the Emancipation Act.
It sounds heartbreaking and powerful, but I hate titles like these and I don’t really like historical fiction. But I will of course give it a chance thanks to this challenge!
Oprah’s bookclub: Bittersweet by Susan Cain
Oprah has entered the chat! And OMG this is one of the few selections I am EXCITED for this month. It sounds so good and she sold it beautifully. I cannot wait to get my hands on this and bury myself a weekend for some healing through this gem.
The undertitle “How sorrow and longing make us whole” should say all you need to know about this. I just know it’s going to change my life.
Amerie’s bookclub: The hard road out by Jihyun Park and Seh-Lynn Chai
Another escapist from North Korea, with a story I’m sure is a powerful og interesting one. The problem for me personally is that this book is impossible to get a hold of. So, no dice reading this in february.
And while I fear I might sound jaded or worse – priveleged, I’ve read my share of North Korea escape novels, and the topic itsself isn’t it for the month of february. It’s black history month, it’s the lovers month, the month we go on winter break and it’s the shortest month of the year. We wan’t light and easy. We want heartwarming and fun. Right? (And literally everyone else, save Oprah, has chosen a black history novel.)
Belletrist: Brutes by Dizz Tate
A group of teenagers obsessed with the pastors daughter who then goes missing. A coming of age mystery fiction?
If anything, it sounds different, and I enjoy the thought of that. But then again, Belletrist has a nack for chosing “different” type of books that I find are becoming a “belletrist type” and it doesn’t always fall within my taste.
It sounds to good to pass on, so if I can find it, I will read it.
Books that matter UK: Amazing Grace Adams by Fran Littlewood
Grace Adams is one bad day away from saving her life. (say what?) Instead of running away from her life when it gets hard, she attacks it head on. A different type of approach? Sounds like a winner to me.
But alas, I’ve tried to get a hold of this one, and no luck yet even though were halfway through february. Good news for me personally is that I will have the month of march to read it too, since Books that matter has announced they are putting the book club on hold for march to work out some kinks in their systems. So they will not be announcing a march book, but will be back for april..
Marie III 