In this gripping story, the enchanting world of magic collides with the high-stakes world of poker, creating a twisty tale of suspense that will leave you reeling.

Readers meet Natalie, a 27-year-old prodigy in the art of close-up magic.

Despite her extraordinary talents, she is now down on her luck financially and finds herself doing corporate magic shows.

While performing at one of these gigs, an altercation with an attendee ends in a potential lawsuit that could bring even more financial devastation.

When she takes a freelance writing gig to begin the cobbled path toward paying down the debt, her path crosses with Ellen, a seasoned professional card cheat.

The savvy Ellen extends an irresistible proposition to Natalie that could yield millions and change her life forever.

Forged into an improbable alliance, the duo plunges themselves into the perilous depths of a high-stakes poker game.

Cue the Rocky montage music and prepare to learn a lot about card tricks and illusions, complete with gasp-worthy plot twists and hold-your-breath suspense.

Published in 2018, this backlist gem stands out as one of the best con artist books I've read this year. It is cinematic in scope and twists.

JANUARY BOOK CLUB EXPERIENCE: Michael Kardos joins the book club for an hour-long recorded interview, discussing his book from start to finish as we went through the plot twist choices and some unusual research he had to do to prepare the sleight of hand he offered his readers.

You can watch that on video or listen to the interview as part of your book club benefits.

RECOMMENDED FORMAT: AUDIOBOOK
MOOD: ADVENTUROUS, MYSTERIOUS, TENSE
PACE: FAST

Related- Captivating Con Artist Books to Read Now

In February, we will celebrate the love and bonds between sisters with this 2017 Irish Catholic family drama.

I recommend the audiobook format for an immersive experience with a captivating Irish accent!

Spanning decades, the novel unveils the lives of two sisters, Nora and Teresa, as they navigate the challenges and joys of immigrating from Ireland to America in the late 1950s.

As secrets and revelations surface for the reader in a modern timeline, the narrative quickly shifts to 1957, unraveling the sisters' lives during their early years in America.

Nora is a sister who embraces practicality and responsibility, accepting an arranged marriage to secure a stable future in the States.

Meanwhile, spirited and adventurous, Teresa grapples with the consequences of her carefree choices, leading to an unexpected pregnancy.

Teresa's journey takes an unexpected turn when faced with the challenges of unwed motherhood that yield the kind of experience you desperately want to talk about with another reader.

I promise, this story takes emotionally charged twists you won't expect.

FEBRUARY BOOK CLUB EXPERIENCE: Meagan Church, who has a stunning historical fiction novel coming out on March 5th of this year called The Girls We Sent Away, will be joining us to discuss her overlapping research on The Baby Scoop Era that she had done for her novel.

If you haven't heard of The Baby Scoop Era, this period, roughly from the late 1940s to the early 1970s, is when many unmarried pregnant women were often coerced, pressured, or forced to relinquish their babies for adoption.

As widespread social stigma was attached to unwed mothers, many saw adoption as a more socially acceptable outcome than single motherhood.

Both Church and Sullivan deeply humanize this experience with a raw and unfiltered lens through the eyes of teenage girls with few choices.

Both novels are five-star reads, and I can't wait to share this conversation around these historical fiction novels.

RECOMMENDED FORMAT: AUDIOBOOK
MOOD: EMOTIONAL, REFLECTIVE
PACE: MEDIUM

Related- The Best Book Club Books to Spark Conversation with Meagan Church

I must admit that in 2016, a book about AI didn't intrigue me, but fast forward to 2024, and I can think of no better book to discuss than this slow-burn mystery.

Set in 1980s-era Boston, Ada grows up under the care of David, her brilliant yet socially awkward single father. As the head of a prestigious computer science lab, he brings Ada to work each day, providing her with an unconventional homeschooling environment.

When an unexpected twist of fate leaves Ada on the brink of becoming an orphan, a loyal colleague offers her a place to stay, forging an unexpectedly found family.

What, ultimately, helps her find refuge, though, is her father's meticulously crafted AI system.

Ada discovers hidden messages within the chatbot's code, and as their bond weakens, it leads her on a poignant journey through fragmented memories and decoding the intricacies of David's life.

Spanning 451 pages, this character-driven narrative unfolds the evolving landscapes of technology and the enduring connection between a father and daughter.

The audiobook performance by Lisa Flanagan was exceptional on this one.

I would pair an audio version with the paper copy because excerpts from the code and chat messages run throughout, making it easier to follow without those visual elements.

As a book club, it will be incredible to contrast her 2016 world to our greatest fears and most rewarding interactions now with AI technology. I encourage you to start this book now because it is meant to be slowly savored.

MARCH BOOK CLUB EXPERIENCE: The Mindful Librarian will be our special guest for a recorded conversation to discuss our complicated feelings around AI technology and this incredible novel. As an educator, she offers a unique lens on the impact in the classroom environment.

Katy is a curator, reader, educator, librarian, and writer. She writes about books on her Substack, The Mindful Librarian, which I highly recommend subscribing to!

I will also share how this has impacted creators like me, who now compete against AI-driven websites that have led to unexpected business challenges.

RECOMMENDED FORMAT: AUDIOBOOK WITH PRINT (if you can)
MOOD: MYSTERIOUS, EMOTIONAL, REFLECTIVE
PACE: SLOW

This dark academia novel is made for readers who crave a blockbuster movie experience in a book. 

The story opens with this quote from Joseph Brodsky. 

"Life- the way it really is - is a battle not between bad and good but between bad and worse."  It is the perfect setup because this story doesn't deal with the tired trope of good versus evil but bad and worse, which doesn't always give the reader the ideal hero to root for. 

Victor and Eli are roommates enrolled in a Comprehensive Science course where they must declare a thesis for their year.

While Victor claims adrenaline is his focus, Eli chooses EOs, shocking the entire classroom.

What are EOs?

In this fantasy world, this stands for the ExtraOrdinary- people who seemingly have inexplicable superhuman powers that seem to be all around them in mysterious ways.

Could the two tie together their planned thesis projects- Victor's on adrenaline and Eli's on EO and unlock a different version of their world?

The two began experimentations that involved bringing them to death or near-death experiences and seeing if they could come back.

Reminiscent of Flatliners, you will find that many of the themes overlap, but you will be so impressed by Schwab's interpretation of what it means to be a superhero in this imagined world.

I held my breath through many scenes!

APRIL BOOK CLUB EXPERIENCE: For this recorded fireside chat, I'm bringing on one of my oldest and dearest blogging friends, Amiyrah Martin, to help lead this discussion.

Amiyrah hosts the first official Disney Parks podcast, the planDisney Podcast, and offers a unique insider perspective into worlds like these.

As part of her duties, she interviews Disney Parks guests doing extraordinary things and Disney executives and Cast Members.

A frequent attendee at the blockbuster movie premieres, I can't wait to discuss this delicious villain origin story with her and get more film recommendations to expand our Villain Era!

RECOMMENDED FORMAT: AUDIOBOOK WITH PRINT (IF YOU CAN)
MOOD: DARK, TENSE, ADVENTUROUS
PACE: FAST

In a concise 299 pages, Cha delivers a tautly woven story that unapologetically and unabashedly examines enduring racial tensions between the African-American and Korean-American communities during and after the LA riots.

Set against the backdrop of the early 1990s, in the aftermath of the Rodney King beatings, this novel weaves a narrative inspired by real-life events.

At its heart is the tragic story of Latasha Harlins, a 15-year-old African-American girl fatally shot by Soon Ja Du, a 49-year-old Korean-American convenience store owner.

Readers are given two fictional perspectives through the brother of the victim and the eyes of the convenience store clerk's daughter.

Immersing oneself in a narrative that doesn't strictly align with one's cultural heritage poses a unique challenge for an author. I read this quite hesitantly.

What won me over was that Cha wielded a critical lens, and, as acknowledged best by the Los Angeles Review of Books, this yields an experience that feels compelling and risk-taking.

I had never heard of this tragic murder until reading a crime fiction novel. I'm so grateful to writers who see the gross injustice in cases and are unafraid to immerse themselves in both viewpoints to capture a story that evokes empathy and outrage for what has happened.

MAY BOOK CLUB EXPERIENCE: Renowned Korean-American novelist Steph Cha, was honored with the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for this exceptional work and will participate in a recorded interview.

I'm eager to delve into Cha's research methods and creative process, and I hope you will be, too.

RECOMMENDED FORMAT: PRINT
MOOD: EMOTIONAL, CHALLENGING, TENSE
PACE: MEDIUM

At times, this literary fiction novel might feel like reading a memoir. In past interviews, Amna shared that she did an exchange student program in high school that took her from urban Pakistan to the rural Pacific Northwest when she was growing up.

This compelling debut navigates the complexities of being an exchange student, divulging the challenges faced by Hira, a 17-year-old Pakistani exchange student thrust into the midst of a rural Oregon high school.

Of course, Hira is a bit tired when the story begins; she has been diagnosed with tuberculosis, leading to months of forced quarantine that further isolates her from her host family and the entire town.

However, her coming-of-age story reveals a captivating understanding that while home stays with you, visiting other countries can inevitably alter your brain chemistry forever.

It is quite beautiful when the characters in this novel find ways to seek common ground together.

Prepare for darkly fun observations and a less-than-romantic view of the American Dream!

I'm grateful for the Pakistani women who have been a cherished part of my life since my college years, and I find myself drawn to stories that deepen my understanding of their experiences.

From my college roommate who stood next to me at my wedding to my best friend who is now part of my found family- I hope they feel seen in Hira's story.

JUNE BOOK CLUB EXPERIENCE: Dur e Aziz Amna will join us to discuss her writing process for this novel and more about the courage required to immerse oneself in a foreign land as a teenager!

Not only will we hear about crafting Hira, but we will also discover what elements of her own experience were important to capture on the page.

RECOMMENDED FORMAT: PRINT OR AUDIO
MOOD: REFLECTIVE, EMOTIONAL, FUNNY
PACE: MEDIUM

Related- 2023 Summer Reading Guide

Seanan McGuire describes her Mira Grant pen name as being committed to three things in her storyline- good science, good story, and diversity representative of reality.

Grant's portrayal of mermaids goes beyond the usual alluring siren clichés. Instead, these creatures are cannibalistic horrors best to read about when daylight still lingers.

Seven years ago, a mockumentary film crew vanished at sea while covering the story of mermaids in a film exploration of mythological sea creatures.

Many of these characters aboard the ship have deeply personal reasons to uncover the truth. Still, none could be more personal than Victoria Stewart, whose sister disappeared that fateful night.

JULY BOOK CLUB EXPERIENCE: Shaun Hamill was the first horror novelist I'd ever spoken to, and I was so impressed at his plethora of knowledge on the topic that I had to find a way to bring him back for our backlist book club year. I'm so excited to dissect this book together in a recorded fireside chat.

Stephen King praised the author for his mythical creature captured in his debut, A Cosmology of Monsters. We will explore the parallels in their storytelling, from mythical creature deniers to those who invite them in, and what it takes to craft a great horror novel.

We also will get an early scoop on his second novel, The Dissonance, which is coming to store shelves on July 23rd. Described as an epic contemporary fantasy with a mixture of The Magicians and It, I can't wait to hear more about his next release.

RECOMMENDED FORMAT: PRINT
MOOD: DARK, TENSE, ADVENTUROUS
PACE: MEDIUM

Each year, we offer a poll for our Reader's Choice selections, and the most voted-upon classic gracing this year's book stack is one of my favorite time travel books.

Kindred is not just a propulsive page-turner; it's a journey. This classic offers a powerful exploration of race, identity, and the interconnectedness of our shared history in a way few classics have achieved.

The novel pulls the reader in with this jarring opening sentence. "I lost an arm on my last trip home. My left arm."

Dana is a black woman in the late seventies married to a white man. A modern African-American writer, she begins to find herself mysteriously pulled back in time when experiencing dizzy spells.

As this happens, Dana finds herself being pulled repeatedly to the South in 1815 after she arrives and discovers a little boy named Rufus is drowning in a river.

After saving him, it initiates the first of many visits where Rufus risks his life, and Dana returns to repeat this heroic act. The catch is that her role as a black woman is not free in this era.

When pulled in, she must work as an enslaved person at the house and witness the true brutalities of an unkind enslaver.

What Butler does so well is offer a captivating dimension for readers by giving Dana a white husband in the modern timeline.

When they are transported through time together, he must act as her enslaver to keep her safe.

The dynamics in these roles cause stress and doubts between the two, unlocking unbelievable tension to see if their relationship can weather these changes in dynamics.

Octavia Butler was a trailblazer and the first Black woman to be honored with both the Hugo and Nebula awards.

She crafts classics that resonate as though they could have been written in our modern moments.

AUGUST BOOK CLUB EXPERIENCE: Please join me in discussing this classic, and we will dive deep into her legendary career together.

Don't be limited by this selection; I encourage you to try more of Octavia Butler's books to discuss and recommend for this month's conversation.

RECOMMENDED FORMAT: PRINT FOR HIGHLIGHTING
MOOD: DARK, EMOTIONAL, TENSE
PACE: MEDIUM

Related- The Best Time Travel Books to Escape Real Life

Envelope yourself in the pitch-perfect narration of Mark Bramhall, whose audiobook roster includes Charlotte's Web and a 48-hour narration of Robert Chenow's Grant).

Ultimately, I count it among the most captivating audiobook experiences I've ever listened to and among my favorite books of 2023.

The book opens with an author's note thanking the local historians who shared the good gossip about Ernest Harold Baynes, born in 1868 and who died in 1925, the real-life Dr. Doolittle of New Hampshire and "alleged total ladies man."

In this laugh-out-loud literary fiction novel set in small-town New Hampshire, the collective narrator of the town's deceased inhabitants provides an omniscient and humorous viewpoint of small-town happenings.

Emma is a remarkable and magical child born to Clive and Ingrid Starling..or so the local headline news shares. Her gift of healing is so distinct that she insists the hands of the newborn baby had cured her sciatica while delivering the child.

Emma, now a dejected dropout medical student, comes home to care for her father, who is suffering from hallucinations and tremors. He has been let go from his position at the University and is plagued by visions of Ernest Baynes.

Our narrators say, Ernest is a real-life ghost, not a hallucination.

Compounding his confusion, her father has become fixated on Emma's best friend from childhood, who has gone missing.

But, in a town riddled by the opioid crisis, it is hard to say where she has gone though.

While the setup sounds heavy, this is a hopeful and surprisingly lighthearted selection. As the ghost of Ernest enters his powers, this story takes hilarious turns that make you laugh until you cry.

I want to add a small content warning that some elements might be challenging for anyone close to someone with dementia. There are poignant scenes of anticipatory grief when you know what is to come with losing a parent.

And honestly, I had anticipatory grief while reading this story because I knew once I finished it, I would never get to read it for the first time again.

SEPTEMBER BOOK CLUB EXPERIENCE: At this time, I have reached out to Annie for a recorded author interview, and I'm still awaiting her reply.

If we can't land Annie, I promise to host a memorable Zoom and pull in a fun voice for your monthly benefit.

RECOMMENDED FORMAT: AUDIOBOOK
MOOD: FUNNY, EMOTIONAL, HOPEFUL
PACE: MEDIUM

This literary fiction novel topped my best books of the year list and will deeply resonate with fans of Station Eleven.

Written in 2018, a year that stands out as it predates the pandemic, the story envisions a world plagued by the Shen Fever virus, which induces peculiar symptoms.

Afflicted individuals fall into a zombie-like loop, reenacting their past routines as the world crumbles around them—whether reading, cooking or even succumbing to past addictive behaviors, their bodies remember whatever consumed their time the most.

As the virus sweeps through society, we follow Candace Chen's journey as she navigates her pre-pandemic role at a publishing house.

Promised a substantial bonus if she perseveres through the health crisis, Candace pushes herself to the limit, even as she questions whether this is the best use of her time in a world on the brink of collapse.

What endures throughout is the relentless consumerism and corporate culture, which readers may find particularly pertinent in a post-pandemic world.

One element that captivated me the most was Candace's role in publishing, as she is charged with supervising the unique printing of a Bible.

Readers will peek behind the scenes at those uniquely thin pages and their particularly laborious printing processes. It offers a fascinating look at the internal workings of a publishing house and the production of this historic book process, particularly overseas.

Quotation marks are absent in this novel, and the ending remains somewhat open-ended after the many turmoils that Candace has endured. Neither element took away my enjoyment of this novel, but it is important to mention that.

OCTOBER BOOK CLUB EXPERIENCE: Debut novelist Thao Thai will join the podcast to discuss this literary fiction novel with me.

Of all the guests I shared time with on Book Gang, she was one of my favorites for her interpretation of other people's writing- a skill refined by her storytelling chops.

One might think there is no overlap between this story and Banyan Moon, the July Read with Jenna book club selection, but I would beg to differ.

These books offer overlapping themes of adapting to adversities and the importance of familial legacy.

It is critical in both stories to be a good daughter, to make the sacrifice of your ancestors worth their struggles, and to build a legacy for future generations.

In both cases, digging into childhood memories excavates wild determination in these characters.

I can't wait to discuss with one of my favorite new storytellers on a recorded fireside chat.

RECOMMENDED FORMAT: PRINT
MOOD: DARK, REFLECTIVE, TENSE
PACE: MEDIUM

Related- The Best Debuts of 2023 to Not Miss

Our next Reader's Choice selection has been celebrated on our site before, but I'm excited to explore this novel again with you in 2024.

This eye-opening family drama is about parenting a child who struggles with gender identity and how the family navigates the world to help their child live in a place of joy and acceptance.

Rosie and Penn are parents to four boys and are betting on the arrival of their first daughter when their fifth child, Claude, defies their initial expectations.

It will be a few more years before they make the connection that these initial predictions were more accurate than expected.

To protect their child, they move to a more liberal city, discovering that their secrecy will persist along with them instead.

Throughout the pages, this novel beautifully captures the complexities of gender identity and the enduring power of love within a family.

In my past interview with the author, Frankel described her experience as very different from that of her characters. Her child's transition didn't necessitate much struggle or strife.

She said her family never faced these struggles with friends, at school, or in her community. These elements are mainly fictionalized from her family story.

Her goal with this book was to explore how we all navigate expectations with our children- exemplified in her title: this is how it always is.

She said, "Most kids aren't transgender, but most kids are gender nonconforming — sometimes, in some ways — and all kids are sometimes nonconforming, sometimes don't fit in, and sometimes face challenges.

And all parents want to love and help their kids, and no parents always know the best way to go about doing so. We make the best decisions we can and amend as necessary."

It's a bold, honest, heartbreaking story, but told in gentle prose for the reader.

NOVEMBER BOOK CLUB EXPERIENCE: In honor of this selection, I'm bringing my dear friend Kelly, into the fold.

She offers a personal parenting experience as they navigated parenting a transgender child, and she has done this with remarkable compassion and care.

I look forward to recording this fireside chat and I know she will have incredible advice on how to love better and support these families, whether parenting our children or just how we show up in this world.

I'm so grateful to host a community where YOU most wanted to discuss this beloved book.

RECOMMENDED FORMAT: PRINT
MOOD: EMOTIONAL, HOPEFUL, INSPIRING
PACE: MEDIUM

Related- Laurie Frankel Interview (This is How it Always Is)

We are revisiting one of my favorite winter magical realism reads for this final book club selection.

Jack and Mabel found love later in life than was typical for the 1920s and decided to embark on a journey to Alaska to help them heal from the grief of a pregnancy loss.

Fueled by loss, their decision to homestead will allow them to escape from these daily reminders and give them a new start.

One evening, after a perfect snowfall filled with the same joy and bewilderment of playing in the snow from their youth, the couple shape a child made of snow on their property.

The two wish the night would never end, but by the following day, their carefully formed child has vanished—along with the mittens and hat they decorated her with.

Yet, a peculiar sight emerges as they catch glimpses of a girl frolicking through their snowy woods with a red fox as her companion.

The couple are astonished when the little girl arrives at their doorstep bearing gifts. She never stays long and disappears as mysteriously as she comes, but the lessons she imparts linger throughout their lives in beautiful and magical ways.

This debut was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in fiction, and the author hails from Alaska, which you will find beautifully crafted in the details.

DECEMBER BOOK CLUB EXPERIENCE: I contacted Eowyn Ivey for an interview, but I fully admit that she only does a few interviews.

For our Zoom, we will make a book list of comforting winter reads for the holiday season and discuss this beautiful adult fairytale together.

RECOMMENDED FORMAT: PRINT
MOOD: EMOTIONAL, MYSTERIOUS, REFLECTIVE
PACE: MEDIUM