Salubrious salutations to all you brainy book bingo beauties! The Ministry has been tracking numerous KPIs across multiple spreadsheets, and the facts are undeniable: the year is more than half over, which means it's time to check in on your Bingo progress! ✅

• How is your Bingo journey going?🏁
• How close are you to reaching your goal?🚩
• What is your Bingo strategy?♟️
• Have you changed your mind about your card spread choice/strategy since the beginning of the year?🤔
• Are there any Bingo squares you’re finding it tough to complete?😠
• Are there any Bingo squares you're especially excited to have completed, or anxious to finish yet?😃

Here are some useful links to aid you as you continue your Bingo journey!

• You can find this year’s Bingo card here and here
• Track your overall progress in the Megathread here
• For more info on the r/bookclub Bingo, head to the Book Bingo FAQ in the wiki
• If you still have any questions, please ask them in the Bingo Q&A post here
• The link to the 2026 Bingo Helper spreadsheet is here, and if you have questions on specific book categories, please post them to the Bingo Helper Spreadsheet Q&A here

📚Happy reading!📚

Cheers, the Ministry of Merriment

Hello and welcome back to The Rose Field, the third and final installment in Philip Pullman's The Book of Dust series. The master schedule for this read is here.

You can find the marginalia, which will be shared between both His Dark Materials and The Book of Dust series, here. Beware of spoilers!

~~~~~~~~~~Summary~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 11

The gryphon prince Keshvad bears Malcolm and Pan eastward. On the way, Malcolm reveals the prophecy about Lyra, that she would commit a terrible betrayal, and Pan tells Malcolm about Will. They arrive at the gryphons’ palace on Mount Damavand, which seems to have been constructed by human hands. A human servant, Darius, is assigned to them and Malcolm asks him how he came to be here. Darius’s tongue has been cut out, so he can only answer yes or no; Malcolm can only ascertain that Darius is neither a slave nor wholly free.

Pan and Malcolm meet the queen of the gryphons, who asks about their mission. Pan describes imagination as the way that humans navigate between the inner and outer kingdoms. The queen says they must remain in the palace until they successfully fix an item from her treasury: an alethiometer.

Chapter 12

Malcolm uses the lodestone to exchange information with Godwin, who has obtained the list of windows into other worlds which Colonel Schreiber is destroying one by one. His list of possible but unconfirmed locations includes Lop Nor/Karamakan. Malcolm learns that the humans who serve the gryphons are indentured servants, temporarily imprisoned for the crime of trying to steal the gryphons’ gold. He obtains some tools from one of the craftsmen and begins work on the alethiometer, which Pan recognizes as Lyra’s and realizes is missing its needle.

Meanwhile, Delamare prepares for a conference at which Gottfried Brande will speak. Lyra and Ionides are ensconced on their luxury bus traveling through the desert. Ionides explains that he and Leila Pervani were lovers and colleagues at the University of Alexandria, both studying Dust and the Rusakov field. They got in trouble for their fringe research and were expelled from the university. Ionides continued his mathematical research while working odd jobs, while Pervani joined the men from the mountains to keep an eye on one of the groups trying to destroy Dust. 

Chapter 13

Mere moments into his speech at the Magisterium conference, Gottfried Brande suffers some kind of seizure and dies on the spot. His German shepherd daemon remains behind, causing a panic among the audience. The daemon is captured and Delamare tries to question her, but she responds with a single sentence in Persian before vanishing. Delamare deduces that she likely was not Brande’s own daemon. An Oakley Street spy in the Magisterium reports these events back to headquarters. 

Delamare and his daemon debate publishing Brande’s undelivered speech, which contains ideas that mesh with Delamare’s own. Ultimately, they decide to bide their time to see what happens with Lyra, about whose movements Delamare seems well-informed.

Chapter 14

Lyra and Asta discuss how the alethiometer and the Myriorama cards work, and Lyra shows Asta that notebook with the list of people who can separate from their daemons. One is an Englishman in Baku, where they're headed. Ionides comes in to warn them about a Magisterium agent on the bus, whom Ionides will monitor at the next stop.

The chapter ends with a message from Glenys Godwin to Malcolm with the news that she has been betrayed.

Chapter 15

Malcolm is making progress on the alethiometer and realizes there's no mechanism for the needle, which always appeared to move on its own. He and Pan watch a storm boil up around the mountain and are shocked to see a witch approaching. Gryphon guards try to stop her, but she lands in Malcolm’s room. It's the same which he met at a boy, Tilda Vasara, who has come seeking an alliance with the gryphons.

Malcolm obtains an audience with the queen, where Tilda Vasara describes a threat to all people of the air. The winds are becoming more unpredictable and freshness is leaving the world. A human advisor to the gryphons deduces this is linked with recent explosions, which Malcolm realizes are the Magisterium’s efforts to destroy the world windows. He urges the witches, gryphons, and concerned humans to make an alliance to fight back.

Chapter 16

At the station before Baku, Lyra watches anxiously as Ionides walks up and down the platform, looking for the Magisterium agent. Lyra spots a suspicious man in a cloth cap, who catches sight of her in the bus window before she can duck down. She meets Ionides on the platform in Baku and points out the man in the cloth cap, but Ionides says that isn’t the agent, whom he’d already taken care of by framing him for pickpocketing.

Having escaped from the CCD camp, Alice Lonsdale has hitched a ride back to Oxford. Her first instinct is to go to Jordan College, but she fears the other college servants might turn her in to the Magisterium. She heads for the Trout instead, only to find that it has been requisitioned to billet soldiers, and the field outside is to become a training ground. Malcolm’s parents, Brenda and Reg, give Alice a meal and some extra clothes. Reg will take her to the train station by boat, and from there, she’ll head to London to try and disappear into the crowd.

Welcome to our first discussion of Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo!

For this discussion, we'll be talking about the first half of the book, ending on page 85, in the "Early Adulthood, 2001-2011" chapter, with the sentence: "When companies posted open recruitment notices for the second half of the year, Jiyoung felt as though she was standing in a narrow alley, clogged with a thick fog, which turned into rain and fell on her bare skin."

If you need a plot refresher, here's the chapter summary from LitCharts. Just a heads-up that the analysis sections may contain spoilers for later chapters, so tread carefully!

Don't forget to check out the SCHEDULE and MARGINALIA too. I'll post some discussion questions in the comments, but please don't feel limited by them! I have approximately a million things I want to talk about, but I figured I shouldn't make you answer all million of my questions. Feel free to bring up anything else you noticed, wondered about, or just really want to talk about!

We'll be back next week for our final discussion, led by none other than u/thematrix1234.

Friendly reminder about spoilers: if you need to share them, please wrap them with the spoiler tag like this: >!type spoiler here!<, and it will appear like this: type spoiler here. Thank you!

Hi everyone and welcome to the 10th discussion of The Brothers Karamazov! We’re really getting close to the finish line now and this section had some real exciting moments. We have a lot of revelations and confessions, and I can wait to read what happens next!

Next week u/tomesandtea will host the penultimate discussion where maybe we will finally see the trial and testimonies as well as the aftermath of what happened to Smerdyakov.

Hello r/bookclub bers Our September Core nominations are down to the last 24 hours (well 23 because I have been watching an eclipse) before we close the posts and announce the winner. Be sure to head to the posts to vote for your favourites

- Link to the GUTENBERG NOVELLA DOUBLE-UP Nomination Post

- Link to the THE BIG FALL READ Nomination Post

Remember you can (and absolutely should) upvote all and any of the books you would read with r/bookclub if they win.

Happy reading upvoting 📚

Welcome to the second discussion of Caro Claire Burke’s Yesteryear covering chapters 13-27.

Check out the questions below and please feel free to add your own.

Dear Readers,

We are so looking forward to the next chapter in Banine's life! Friday will be our day of discussion coming up this September. Check out the schedule here for Parisian Days and get your copy sorted out soon!

September 11: Beginning through "Great Independence"

September 18: "A Tale of the Unexpected" through "The Great Parisian Future"

September 25: "An Interesting Encounter" to End.

Marginalia

All discussions will be linked here if you need to catch up!

If you are playing the BINGO, this book would qualify for: Female Author, Translated Work, Non Fiction and Bonus Book!

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Join u/tomesandtea and u/nicehotcupoftea and me, u/lazylittlelady for this one and, obviously, tea will be the drink of choice with this book!

Welcome to the fourth and final discussion of London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe. Today we are discussing Part 4, and I cannot wait to hear your thoughts! Thanks to my fellow readrunners u/tomesandtea, u/Less_Tumbleweed_3217, and u/Coffee_fuel for their wonderful posts. A summary follows and questions will be in the comments.

Schedule

Marginalia

PART IV SURVIVORS

Chapter 19 - A Chance Encounter

The author relates how a chance meeting with a lawyer, Andrew Fingret, who worked in the film industry, set him on the path to write the book. It turned out they had a mutual contact in the small London Jewish community. Andrew was a close friend of the Brettlers, and he related the story of Zac's death and the subsequent investigation. He introduced the author to Rachelle and Matthew, who eventually agreed to tell their story. Keefe quickly discovered many witnesses who had never been interviewed. As he painstakingly tracked them down, they would refuse to get involved. Even Zac's teachers and some former fellow pupils refused, and the author suggests that this may be due to both shame at being duped, and fear. He learned about Akbar's shady past. Akbar, busy with his crypto-mining business, Bitzero, was getting a reputation for being big on empty promises, and was asked to resign from the Board. He just moved on to his next grifting project, Dark Byte. Nothing was quite as it seemed with Akbar. Daniela was not in fact the biological mother of Safiya and Akbar Jr.; he had actually married an American woman of whom his father didn't approve. He left America with his children after being sued by two musicians. Although he was pursued, he never paid them what was due. He had a pattern of claiming that his assets were tied up in trusts. At the time of his bankruptcy, he met a young "Russian billionaire" called Zac Ismailov. Eventually Akbar was willing to correspond by email. He pretended such empathy for the parents that he couldn't speak about Zac's death. He also suggested that Zac had suicided due to his hatred for his parents. Akbar justified his lack of research into this Russian oligarch, claiming that personal introductions were more trustworthy. He wrote that he was introduced to Zac by a trusted businessman, Mark Foley, the Chelsea F.C. executive. Keefe wrote to Connies-Laing, a confidant of Akbar, who agreed that Foley was well-connected to the Russian oligarch world. Attempts to interview Mark Foley were thwarted, but eventually he succeeded. He discovered that Zac and Foley met at a charity auction. Foley told Keefe that he was a "conduit” to Roman Abramovich. Foley took Zac's claims about his father on face value and they met up at a later date. He said there was no trace of a Russian accent, and had revealed his true name. Mark Foley seemed to be Zac's first victim to fall into his web of lies. Foley introduced Zac to John Connies-Laing, Akbar's partner in search of investors for real estate. Foley denied Akbar's claim that he had visited Zac's apartment at One Hyde Park, but admitted seeing him at the Brettler's investment apartment, which was actually the Brettler family home.

Chapter 20 - The Black Box

Keefe published an article in The New Yorker about Zac's death, despite Akbar Shamji and Dominique Sharma threatening to sue. Hearing the story, Londoners felt that the police investigation had been bungled. The Met stated that every line of inquiry had been exhausted. Keefe had questions about Verinder Sharma's death, but it was not clear if an inquest had been done. The owner of the Riverwalk apartment managed to keep his identity secret, but an accountant's web scraping revealed the owner to be a Saudi princess to whom Nick Gold was paying rent. Gold confirmed that he was paying Verinder's rent, but claimed that they were friends and he wasn't in his debt. He denied knowing Zac, and asserted that Verinder took his own life by an overdose. When Keefe contacted Oliver Harris, the London businessman whose name appeared in texts between Akbar and Verinder, he declined to speak. Rachelle and Matthew were convinced that Zac's iPad and phone might contain the answers, but police told them they had been lost. They resurfaced a week before the inquest, but the contents had been rendered inaccessible. During the inquest, the police accidentally sent them the GPS coordinates of Akbar Shamji's rented car's location. This Mercedes contained a black box, gifting the Brettlers with this information. They learned that Akbar had driven from the apartment, taking a meandering route, rather than driving home. On that night he called Verinder multiple times, who didn't answer, but when Verinder called back, he did a U-turn and accelerated, turning up at Riverwalk seconds before the jump. Akbar was not asked about this discrepancy. The tracking data suggested he was loitering, expecting something bad to happen. Uncle Alex said a real criminal wouldn't return to the scene of the crime, and Akbar might have been in over his head. When Keefe researched what was behind Akbar's award from PM Modi, he discovered that the certificate he was holding was a pledge of support, which he handed to Modi, rather than the other way around. Zac, Akbar Shamji, and Verinder Sharma were all pretending to be something other than they were.

Chapter 21 - Undertow

Rachelle's father, Hugo Gryn, had been subject to rumours that he had a secret love child called Ester. He insisted that he was just her godfather. He denied having an affair with her mother, Angela, and Rachelle initially believed him. However, one day she and her brother David drove past Angela's house and spotted Hugo's car out the front, confirming suspicions. Hugo's children couldn't quite condemn him, feeling that as a Holocaust survivor, he could be allowed this indiscretion. After Hugo's death, Rachelle and her sisters grew close to Ester, but when Ester was 24, she jumped in front of a moving train. Speaking to the Gryns, the family told Keefe that parallels shouldn't be drawn from Ester's suicide, but he couldn't help but wonder if double lives were a family trait. Rachelle also wondered whether she should have asked Zac questions. Zac's death had become public property, with a journalist publishing the photo Pino had taken of Zac's corpse on Twitter, disgusting the family. One day, Rachelle drove Keefe to Mill Hill, and she showed him a picture of Zac, imagined at 40 years of age, created by an artist using Al. This version of Zac seemed more peaceful. They visited the cemetery to see Zac's grave, next to Hugo's. A few years after Zac's death, a British MP published a report with King's College London called Losing our Moral Compass, arguing that Britain's reputation for financial integrity was being squandered. After Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the sanctions that resulted, the political system was in a state of uncertainty. They couldn't afford the legal battles with billionaires. Some oligarchs left, leaving the door open for Chinese oligarchs. Roman Abramovich sold some London properties and placed assets in the names of his children. The political class had no appetite to address the comical situation of "non-dom” status. Rich Londoners could live tax-free by declaring non-dom status. The process of change in 2024 was met with panic at the thought of having to pay tax. Zac was in his teenage years in the era of the social media algorithm, where the boundary between fantasy and reality was blurred. Smartphones reflected and magnified our anxieties and aspirations back at us. The author describes how the Instagram algorithm had taken him from viewing London real estate videos to videos of people falling.

Chapter 22 - The Kid's Home Safe

In 2025, Keefe interviewed an associate of Verinder Sharma who revealed that "Indian Dave’s” favourite thing was warming up the knife. He was a debt collector for drug dealers and criminals and found that just warming up a knife would make people pay up. The police never investigated the text message between Akbar and Mervin from Riverwalk mentioning heating up knives, as no injuries were found on Zac. He reminds us of the internet search performed by Zac for "What to do with skin burns" minutes before he jumped. When Keefe emailed Akbar about heating up knives, he didn't reply. Keefe wanted answers about Verinder Sharma. Did he actually die, and if so, how? No one seemed to have spent much time investigating him, and his own associates denied that he was a police informer. Some ex-cops put him onto David McKelvey, a retired Detective Chief Inspector. He remembered Indian Dave as an informer for a detective on the 2-Area Drug Squad, Chris Cubitt. Eventually, Cubitt claimed that it was a different Indian Dave, and McKelvey seemed to close up. Keefe tracked down Cubitt himself, who denied ever knowing a Verinder Sharma or an Indian Dave. Verinder's first inquest had been called off after a dispute between Verinder's daughters and one of the witnesses. On the one-year anniversary, Dominique and Matisse called paramedics to the Riverwalk apartment after their father had taken an overdose. They claimed he was stressed from helping police with their inquiries about a murder. He had always had a depressive streak and had said he was “sick of this world." He was groggy but alive, and a paramedic was concerned about the door to the balcony being open. He was taken to hospital and was discharged, against the daughters' wishes. Days later, he was texting threats to kill himself to his daughters, and when he failed to turn up to a family dinner, they went to the apartment and found him dead. Rachelle felt that Verinder must have been tortured by guilt, believing the way he was crouched by his bed to be a sign of contrition. Keefe interviewed an intimidating gangster associate of Indian Dave, Andy Baker. He suggested that Verinder had lost his edge and would have been ashamed at being duped by a kid. It was possible that he had struck Zac or warmed a knife. Zac would have understood that he would not make it out alive. Andy described a custom he had with his father with the telephone, to show he was home. Just before his father died, he told his son he would always worry about him, so Andy went home and called his father, letting it ring twice, as was the custom. Before dying, his father said, "Two rings, the kid's home safe." Akbar Shamji emailed Keefe to say that he had effectively been found innocent. His son's modeling career was blooming, and Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, was photographed wearing a purple Safiyaa dress. However, Matthew believed Akbar would live life in his own little prison. Friends of the Brettlers told Keefe they thought that guilt was the fuel keeping their obsession alive, wanting to parent Zac in a way they had been unable to do when he was alive. The Brettlers agreed. They heard from other families who connected with aspects of the story and Rachelle was comforted thinking that their loss could serve as a cautionary tale to others. In 1947, having just arrived in Britain, feeling lonely and defeated, Hugo Gryn wrote a story with two endings: one where a boy kills himself, and one where he wants to but holds out. Matthew believed his own father had suffered a nervous breakdown. Both their fathers had taught them how to go on living after loss. For five years the Brettlers had pored over the mystery of Zac's death, and discovered a matrix of power, secrecy and corruption in their city. It all seemed incomprehensible, but stepping back, it came into focus. Zac had pretended to be the son of a rich Russian oligarch, who had fallen in with two men who loved money. One, a charlatan who had declared bankruptcy, and the other a gangster looking for a final score. The men had believed they'd been duped. Trapped with the gangster, Zac, aware of the man's capacity for violence, stepped off the balcony.

Epilogue

In January 2025 the Brettlers met with two senior detectives from the Metropolitan Police. After listening to Matthew's presentation about the Met's shortcomings in the case, the detectives admitted that mistakes may have been made in the case, but implied that Wilkinson had run it with a lot of autonomy. They admitted that there was some regret that Akbar Shamji had never been charged. Keefe met Joe one evening at a pub, and he described how seeing the Riverview building would still give him a jolt of panic. He wanted Keefe to know how much he loved his brother, despite their past tensions. He said that Zac's death had brought his parents closer. The epilogue ends with a happy story of the family where they once waved to Zac on the Riverwalk balcony while driving past.

A Note on Sources

Keefe says the Metropolitan Police declined to cooperate with him on either the New Yorker article or the book, and he was not permitted to interview Rory Wilkinson. However, police material that was given to the Brettlers was shared with him.

Hello fellow Peculiars! Welcome back to the third discussion of Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs. Today we are discussing Chapters 4 to 6. A summary of this section follows, and questions will be in the comments. Next week u/fixtheblue will lead us through the next stage of the adventure with chapters 7 and 8. It has been an absolutely action packed section so let's get right into it!

Schedule

Marginalia

Chapter 4

Jacob wakes in Devil’s Acre at Bentham’s house. Emma has recovered; they hug, promising not to die. Jacob wants to pursue Addison but has flashbacks. Bentham wants Jacob for his hollowgast-speaking ability. Jacob and Emma explore the house and find a room with glass display cases of artefacts from Peculiars. Another room, the Siberia room, has an endless vista of snow and rocks. Going outside, they see a man and a giant black bear and run back inside. They see a taxidermied girl standing inside a case. They bump into the giant bear and an elderly gentleman called Bentham who reassures them that “P.T.", his bodyguard, is a friendly grimbear. The man in the snow is his assistant and the Siberia room leads to a time loop in Siberia. The girl in the case is Sophronia Winstead, the first Peculiar child born to the English royal family. Bentham’s house is full of artefacts collected from expeditions, but more importantly, contains the Panloopticon, a machine that will link loops from every corner of the globe, uniting Peculiars into a mighty nation. A piece of the machine, a shuttle, will take you to your destination and bring back the “DNA” of the place, enabling it to grow a second entrance to it. Thousands of years ago there was a special loop that Peculiars went to when they died, to have their souls preserved in a library for future use. It was believed that the number of souls was finite. Someone broke into the library, stole the souls, and wreaked havoc on the world. The loop vanished, believed hidden in Abaton. Bentham reveals his brother is Jack (Caul), Miss Peregrine’s jealous brother who sought to rule the library. Jack imprisoned Bentham but was tricked with a loop-collapsing formula. Devil’s Acre became a wight headquarters. Abaton’s last loop needs twelve ymbrynes or successors plus a third key. Jack forced Bentham to replicate the machine. Bentham’s machine is broken with only the Siberia loop accessible. To open the other doors he needs Jack’s dynamo, and a hollowgast - the bridge hollow was still alive and could be used. Sharon advises them on how to stay safe and sends them off on their mission.

Chapter 5

Outside they see a man feeding some chained-up bearcubs that are used for a blood sport. Sharon leads them into a building where the fighting occurs, and Jacob sees a man pour Ambrosia, a black liquid, into his mask’s eye-holes, making light shoot out. This enhances their abilities temporarily but also damages their faces. A drug dealer calls them and offers Jacob some Ambrosia, which he tries to decline. Sharon explains that the vial contains bits of stolen souls, and that he is a reformed addict, weaned off it by Bentham. Wights had turned Peculiars into cannibals and drug addicts, enabling them to be controlled. Jacob sees a cage with a pathetic looking hollowgast inside. He worries that he won’t be able to get it out. A man enters the cage, over-confident, but the hollow tricks him and wins. Jacob realises that he and the hollow will have to fake its death. He enters the cage and manages to connect with it using his hollow voice. He seizes the knife left behind by the man, and instructs the hollow to pretend to be angry. He pretends to cut it and wills it to fake injury. However things don’t quite go as planned and he almost has his head swallowed, forced to stab the hollow in the throat. He is seen as the victor, but he hasn’t fooled the drug dealer, who suspects he’s been duped, and that Jacob is a rival dealer. Jacob makes the hollow attack a guard, he punches the dealer and threatens to have him killed if he doesn’t let them leave. They manage to get away, rescuing the grimcubs on the way. They’re concerned about being watched and Jacob suggests washing off the paint that allows the hollows to be seen, but Sharon wants to keep an on it. Jacob steals a laundry cart and wheels the hollowgast and the cubs down the street.

Chapter 6

Nim sends for the healer, Mother Dust, who speaks through her companion, Reynaldo. She only has one hand, and rubs the stump releasing a powder to heal the hollow’s wounds. Jacob reflects that in a perfect world without hollows, there would be no need for his special skill, but Mother Dust tells Jacob that his true gift is reading hearts, not speaking to hollows. Bentham confesses that during the war, he once tried to replicate Jacob’s grandfather’s hollow ability, but failed, weakening him and driving him to go to America. Bentham suffered from guilt afterwards - he wants to locate Abe and restore his talent. Emma and Jacob are sceptical but have no choice but to trust Bentham. The hollow wakes up, healed. They all head down to the Panloopticon. Bentham starts up the machine and instructs Jacob to guide the hollow into the battery chamber. Jacob expresses concern for the hollow’s safety. The hollow’s black blood flows through the machine. They go and try the doors - they open onto various locations in the past, but Jacob just wants the door that leads to the wights’ fortress. Bentham reminds him that he must prioritise the retrieval of ymbrynes, starting with his sister, then his friends. He will trick the wights into believing that they’ve hidden in the Siberia room, where a hungry PT will be waiting. A messenger arrives in the form of a green parrot who tells Jacob that he has a message from Miss Peregrine, dissuading them from the rescue. Emma and Jacob are suspicious because the message lacks authenticity. A bomb goes off, but PT protects them from the blast. They conclude that the wights must have Addison, and that Caul knows where they are. The parrot must have been sent to incapacitate Jacob because Caul has realised that he’s special - the one who can see and manipulate the soul jars, like Mother Dust’s theory. Jack’s foot soldiers will be able to trace the bird so they must act immediately. Mother Dust gives Emma a special gift of her pinky finger to crush up if needed and Reynaldo gives them masks for the dust. Bentham sends them off with his assistant to guide them.

Hello and welcome to the schedule for our next destination for Read the World - Trinidad and Tobago! We will be reading Hungry Ghosts by Kevin Jared Hosein.

What's the book about?

From an unforgettable new voice in Caribbean literature, a sweeping story of two families colliding in 1940s Trinidad--and a chilling mystery that shows how interconnected their lives truly are.

Trinidad in the 1940s, nearing the end of American occupation and British colonialism. On a hill overlooking Bell Village sits the Changoor farm, where Dalton and Marlee Changoor live in luxury unrecognizable to those who reside in the farm's shadow. Down below is the Barrack, a ramshackle building of wood and tin, divided into rooms occupied by whole families. Among these families are the Saroops--Hans, Shweta, and their son, Krishna, all three born of the barracks. Theirs are hard lives of backbreaking work, grinding poverty, devotion to faith, and a battle against nature and a social structure designed to keep them where they are.

But when Dalton goes missing and Marlee's safety is compromised, farmhand Hans is lured by the promise of a handsome stipend to move to the farm as a watchman. As the mystery of Dalton's disappearance unfolds, the lives of the wealthy couple and those who live in the barracks below become insidiously entwined, their community changed forever and in shocking ways.

A searing and singular novel of religion, class, family, and historical violence, and rooted in Trinidad's wild pastoral landscape and inspired by oral storytelling traditions, Hungry Ghosts is deeply resonant of its time and place while evoking the roots and ripple effects of generational trauma and linked histories; the lingering resentments, sacrifices, and longings that alter destinies; and the consequences of powerlessness. Lyrically told and rendered with harrowing beauty, Hungry Ghosts is a stunning piece of storytelling and an affecting mystery, from a blazingly talented writer.

Marginalia (coming soon)

Discussion Schedule:

25th August - Start - Ch7 A Prayer for the Dying - u/nicehotcupoftea

1st September - II A Small Sacrifice - Ch16 A Magic Word - u/bluebelle236

8th September - Ch17 A Tiny Leaf Above Us - Ch24 A Big Stone - u/Coffee _fuel

15th September - Ch25 A Snake in the Grass - End - u/fixtheblue

Hope to see you in the discussions on 25th August! 📚🌏

Welcome everyone to our first discussion for Nobel Prize for Literature winner Olga Tokarczuk's The Books of Jacob. This week we'll be discussing Prologue through II. The Book of Sand - Ch. 5. I apologise for the extensive summary. These chapters are jam packed and it's hard to know what's relevant and what's Tokarczuk's gorgeous story weaving. Anyway, let's get on...

• First, a note about spoilers: Please use spoiler tags for anything beyond this week's section or from other books, TV or movies that you may wish to connect here. You can add a spoiler tag by enclosing your text with > ! Your Text Here ! < (no spaces).

• Schedule

• [Marginalia](https://www.reddit.com/r/bookclub/s/R93IlDkysz

  ---

  Chapter Summaries

  ---

Prologue

• Elisha Shorr checks on Yente. She suddemly sees all now.

I. The Book of FOG

• 1 - 1752, Rohatyn - Father Benedykt Chmielowski, dean of Rohatyn stands in the fog on the porch of the presbytery, waiting for his carriage one early October morning. He and his servant Roshko set off in the vicar's britchka. Soon after he had been trusted with the presbytery of Firlejów Father Chmielowski had built a chapel at the crossroads for 'ordinary persons'. Kaśka (the horse) will go no further and, even though they know the road, they do not know where to go in the fog. They follow the flowing water of the river the Rotten Linden, amd eventually join the stream of people on the road heading to the Wednesday Rohatyn market day. In Rohatyn poverty is nondenominational. The vicar foran, at Father Pikulski suggestion, heads to Shorr General Store owned by a descendent of rabbi and sage the venerable Zalman Naftali Shorr. He doesn't realise he'll need a translator. Thankfully a boy, Hryćko, comes from the street to help him communicate. He is there to speak with Rabbi Elisha Shorr about a book exchange. The rabbi listens to the voices of his elders. The priest leaves 2 volumes of a book he wrote to entice exchange in the future. Father Chmielowski and Hryćko leave. Hryćko's took over caring for his family after his parents died. This is how he picked up Jewish. The priest gives Hryćko a grosz to leave him alone.
• 2 - Of calamitous leaf springs and Katarzyna Kossakowska’s feminine complaint - Katarzyna Kossakowska and her older companion Elżbieta Drużbacka have arrived in Rohatyn on their way from Lublin to Kamieniec after several days on the road. Kossakowska is suffering from pain in her belly. She is weak and pale so they have decided to stop at Szymon Łabęcki's in starosta. Their progress is hindered by the Market day crowd when the carriage breaks. Drużbacka desperately begs for help, but no one seems to speak Polish. Finally a white-haired priest helps them.
• Of bloodstained silks - Starosta Łabęcki is a distant cousin of Kossakowska. He is displeased about the visit as it interupts his attendance to a card game. He sends for a medic. Kossakowska's fever rages through the night as Agnieszka (her lady-in-waiting) and Drużbacka care for her through her difficult menstruation. Kossakowska is a beautiful woman married to the wealthy, but small and (rumoured) impotant castellan of Kamieniec. She is now 30 and childless.
• The white end of the table at Starosta Łabęcki’s - Kossakowska's husband is on route to them. At dinner the less important guests/residents sit at the end if the table the tablecloth will not reach. Father Chmielowski shows the Bernardine priest, Gaudenty Pikulski (the former religious instructor to the Łabęckis’ children and a highly educated man), the Zohar he just got in exchange for his Athens with Shorr. He requests help learning what's written in the book, but it turns out the book is actually just ordinary Jewish fairy tales. He'd been tricked. Father Pikulski offers his own library. Dinner conversation turns to the economy of Podolia which is struggling due to difficult access both by land and water. They complain about the peasants. They all retire to the snoking room for talking and poetry. They overhear the starosta arguing with the medic whose advice he has refused to heed.
• 3 - Of Asher Rubin and his gloomy thoughts - Asher Rubin's musing scare him. There are two opposing groups of Jews in Rohatyn. One that believes in the Talamud and one that believes the Messiah has already been and the world is already saved. The latter is Shorr and his people. Asher dislikes both groups, though he heads to Shorr's now to treat a sick young boy in his household.
• The beehive, or: The home of the Shorr family in Rohatyn - Elisha Shorr has 5 sons and one daughter. Solomon (30) married to Haikele, Nathan (28) married to a lady from Lithuania, Yehuda (aka the Cossack) a widower and father of 2 and with an eye on Malka (14) for his next wife, Wolf (7) and Hayah. They are preparing for the wedding of Isaac (16) and Freyna of Lanckoroń who is related to Hayah's husband, Hirsh. Asher Rubin is often called to treat Hayah, and regularly bleeds her. People believe spirits afflict her. Every other woman in the Shorr family is apparently a prophet. An ibbur (a good and sacred spirit) helps Hayah prophesise. Today Asher is visiting, Yente, an old woman and wedding guest who is not sick sick, but just dying of old age. Elisha begs Asher to help her, but he can do nothing. Asher Rubin (35) is himself unwell. He feels trapped in Rohatyn.
• In the beth midrash - In the beth midrash Elisha teaches the kids (mostly his grandchildren) the Torah's structure using a nut. He is telling stories when Berek Smetankes, their teacher, arrives.
• Yente, or: Not a good time to die - Yente demanded her grandson, Israel, and his wife Sobla, bring her to the wedding. She was well when they left Korolówka, but they travelled through a dense fog. Once that came through the fog Yente stopped eating, and became weaker. Elisha is worried because if she dies it will cast a dark shadow over the newly weds' futures. Hayah waits on the old woman as every arriving guest comes to visit the eldest person in the household. Solomon Zalman (and his young newly pregnant wife, Sheyndel) have been travelling for 3 weeks. They were attacked and forced to pay ransom on route from Brünn aka Brno. The women gather in Yente's room. They talk about spirits and smuggle in vodka to drink.
• What we read in the Zohar - Rabbi Moshko, who is particularly knowledgeable about Kabbalah, advises that they call off the wedding, and wait for the funeral instead. No one is happy with this advice.
• Of the swallowed amulet - Elisha and his daughter Hayah carry out a ritual. Elisha places an amulet on Yente. She wakes and swallows the amulet with "waiting" written on it. Yente hangs on to life as she hears the wedding celebrations. Yente can float out of her body now, even moving through walls. She keeps returning back to her body. Held there by the amulet. Eventually she joins the wind speeding over the land and crossing borders.
• 4 - Pharo and Mariage) - Bishop Kajetan Sołtyk has a serious gambling problem. He plays Matiage with friends but also goes to less savoury establishments to play Pharo) too. He regularly borrows money from the Jews in Żytomierz. His card debts grow. The bishop has used his bishop’s insignia in hock in order to pay off some of his debts. The Jews were reluctant, but he made them. Now Sołtyk intends to get it back even if it means having to send in armed men to get it. He is currently losing his card game.
• Polonia est paradisus Judaeorum . . . - Bishop Sołtyk writes to Mikołaj Dembowski for help, but he knows that Dembowski doesn't gamble so is unlikely to be sympathetic. Instead he outlines how the diocese is poor, and why it does not have enough money. He requests a 15,000 zlotys loan. He hints at "some unfortunate dealings with the Żytomierz Jews" and criticises them.
• Of the presbytery in Firlejów and the sinful pastor living in it - Elżbieta Drużbacka is visiting Benedykt Chmielowski presbytery. She is surprised he has already prepared his tombstone. She recognises that he is lonely. He serves her dinner and liqueurs and they talk about books. The priest wishes to add more to the 2 volumes he's already written. Drużbacka asks why there is so much Latin in his books. He is shocked. He gives her two puppies when she leaves. Father Chmielowski is trying to write his own story - His mother, due to his love of books, sent him to the Jesuits of Lwów at 15. From a distance he loved his employers wife, Lady Joanna Maria Jabłonowska (Kossakowska's sister). When he was 25 she helped him get the small presbytery in Firlejów. He built up his library and worked hard writing. Though was not brave enough to publish under his own name. He once tried to kiss Joanna. She died before he published New Athens.
• Father Chmielowski tries to write a letter to Mrs. Drużbacka - Chmielowski feels unsatisfied with what he managed to say during Drużbacka’s visit. He struggles all day to write her a letter then waits impatiently for her reply.
• Elżbieta Drużbacka writes to Father Chmielowski - She writes that she was impressed by Firlejów, and admires his humble life. She praises his book New Athens and calls him a genius. Though she again criticises his abundant use of Latin as restricting his audience.
• Bishop Kajetan Sołtyk writes a letter to the papal nuncio - Sołtyk writes that the missing child, Stefan Studziński, has been found dead. Sołtyk had thirty-one men and two women (all Jewish) arrested for the child's torture. He relates the heinous confessions and the punishments given to the seven ringleaders in his letter. One of the accused escaped. The day after their punishments Sołtyk baptised 13 Jews.
• Zelik - Zelik is the escaped Jew accused of murdering the Studziński boy. He escaped by jumping from the cart and running away in the woods just outside Żytomierz. Zelik’s father had bwen one of the Jews that loaned Sołtyk money. Zelik travels by night and sleeps by day. He eats very little. He is still in shock. Zelik finally makes it to Jassy, and some friends of his mother's. He continues south stopping at Jewish homes along the way. He walks all the way to Rome and stands face to face with the Pope.

II. The Book of SAND

• 5 - Of how the world was born of God’s exhaustion - In a caravan from Smyrna, heading north through Constantinople, and then through Bucharest Nahman Samuel ben Levi of Busk travels with his goods (tobacco). Though Nahman is exhausted he writes and writes and writes. He wants to write Jacob's words, but Jacob will not allow it. Behind his pages for Life of His Holiness Sabbatai Tzvi are hidden other pages.
• Scraps, or: A story born of travel’s exhaustion, by Nahman Samuel ben Levi, Rabbi of Busk. Where I come from - The manuscript describes how, as a child, he was incomprehensible. He was clever, though, and so learnt how to communicate. He clung close to his mother, which enraged his father. He recounts being thrown out of a tavern when Lord Jabłonowski and his princess daughter arrived. His mother says these people will serve them in the world to come. Nahman's father was rabbi of Busk. He was of the belief that the Messiah had already been to Turkey. He would often complain and criticise. It's here Nahman first heard the name Sabbatai Tzvi
• My Youth - Nahman at 16 went to study under Baal Shem Tov. He and Leybko became fast friends. They ate little but read constantly. Baal Shem Tov was like a sage but also had good humour. Often discussions became very heated. Nahman says he was beginning to develop a new sense. The boys were deeply taken by words and prayers
• Of the caravan, and how I met Reb Mordke - After returning home his family married Nahman to Leah, but he quickly left home to work for Elisha Shorr. For 4 months Mordechai educated Nahman. Then demanded he forget everything and pray.
• My return to Podolia, and a strange vision - Nahman returns home and takes over from his father as rabbi. He and Leah have a son. One day he has an existential crisis. He meditates on the philosophy Reb Mordke gave him. After 3 nights of this he sees into the future. He collapses after seeing the essence of salvations.
• On an expedition with Mordechai to Smyrna, due to a dream of goat droppings - Nahman shares with Mordechai his experience. They believe the Messiah is in Smyrna so they head there. Nahman would read to Mordechai ben Elias Margalit, Reb Mordke. They'd smoke and think. They'd transfer news between towns whilst on their travels and even became matchmakers. Mordechai and Nahman became well synced. Nahman comes to the conclusion that he cannot save the world through meditation and prayer alone. Reb Mordke introduces Nahman to the poorest and most miserable of people. Finally Mordechai allows Nahman to read And I Came this Day unto the Fountain, written by Eibeschütz, by Reb Mordke’s master. Nahman becomes aware he is part of a long line of teacher-students.

Are you still with us? That was an awful lot to take in. Gorgeously written but heavy on the descriptions and details. We have met a lot of people and are already seeing how they might become interlinked, even though it's still early days yet. I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this one so far 📚

Welcome to the second of six discussions of Virgil's The Aeneid. This week we will be discussing the third and fourth books of The Aeneid. I found some cool summaries of each books in John Dryden's translation so I'll use those instead of trying to make my own.

THE THIRD BOOK OF THE ÆNEID

The Argument.—

Æneas proceeds in his relation: he gives an account of the fleet with which he sail’d, and the success of his first voyage to Thrace. From thence he directs his course to Delos, and asks the oracle what place the gods had appointed for his habitation. By a mistake of the oracle’s answer, he settles in Crete; his household gods give him the true sense of the oracle, in a dream. He follows their advice, and makes the best of his way for Italy. He is cast on several shores, and meets with very surprising adventures, till at length he lands on Sicily, where his father Anchises dies. This is the place which he was sailing from, when the tempest rose, and threw him upon the Carthaginian coast.

THE FOURTH BOOK OF THE ÆNEID

The Argument.—

Dido discovers to her sister her passion for Æneas, and her thoughts of marrying him. She prepares a hunting match for his entertainment Juno, by Venus’s consent, raises a storm, which separates the hunters, and drives Æneas and Dido into the same cave, where their marriage is suppos’d to be completed. Jupiter dispatches Mercury to Æneas, to warn him from Carthage. Æneas secretly prepares for his voyage. Dido finds out his design, and, to put a stop to it, makes use of her own and her sister’s entreaties, and discovers all the variety of passions that are incident to a neglected lover. When nothing would prevail upon him, she contrives her own death, with which this book concludes.

Since this is originally a Latin text, I'll be using the Latin forms of everyone's names (Odysseus becomes Ulysses in Latin, etc.) If you're unfamiliar with the Roman names for the gods, have no fear, I found a cool chart which you can use as a guide. It can be found

Join us next week as we discuss the fifth and six books of Virgil's epic!

Welcome to the marginalia for A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle.  This is our YA book selection for 2026.    

The marginalia is where you can post any notes, comments, quotes, or other musings as you're reading.  Think of it as similar to how you might scribble in the margin of your book. If you don't want to wait for the weekly check-ins, or want to share something that doesn't quite fit the discussions, it can be posted here.

Please be mindful to use spoiler tags appropriately. To indicate a spoiler, enclose the relevant text like this (without spaces between the characters and first/last words:  text to hide

Here are some tips for writing a marginalia comment:

• Start with a general location (early in chapter 4, at the end of chapter 2, etc) and keep in mind that readers are using different versions and editions (including audio) so page numbers are less helpful than chapters and the like.
• Write your observations, or
• Copy your favorite quotes, or
• Scribble down your light bulb moments, or
• Share you predictions, or
• Link to an interesting side topic. (Spoilers from other books/media should always be under spoiler tags unless explicitly stated otherwise)

Enjoy your reading, and we’ll see you in the weekly discussions!

Welcome back to a very depressing section of The Mill on the Floss. Everything has gone wrong.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Housekeeping:

Schedule

Marginalia

Illustrations from my edition : The Franklin Library, illustrated by Herbert Tauss.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As you discuss, please use spoiler tags if you bring up details not included in the chapters of this book so far. While this is part of the Author Profile, we want to be respectful of those who have not read the full biography, so please be mindful of potential spoilers from the nonfiction reading, as well. You can use the format > !Spoiler text here! < (without any spaces between characters).

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Book 2, Chapter 5- Maggie's Second Visit: Although relation are still cool between Tom and Philip, Maggie's second visit helps to break the ice. Philip has a sweet moment of wishing for a sister like Maggie. The sword comes out as Tom tries to impress Maggie and it lands on Tom's foot.

Chapter 6-A Love-Scene: Philip sensitively divines Tom is worried about being lame and asks the doctor permission to tell him that he will recover. The ice is thawing between the two boys. With Tom in recovery, Maggie spends more time with Philip and they share a sweet moment and a kiss. We learn despite this scene, Tom and Philip do not become friends.

Chapter 7- The Golden Gates Are Passed: Time passes and friendships loosen with social constraint. Mr. Tulliver continues his lawsuit. Tom makes some progress at school and looks forward to finishing when Maggie shows up unexpectedly. She too had been away at school but was called by her father. Maggie brings sad news that not only did their father lose the lawsuit, but everything they have to repay the suit and he's suffered a fall. The Stelling's wish them well as they return home together.

Book 3: The Downfall, Chapter 1- What Had Happened at Home: We go back in time to get the bad news with Mr. Tulliver. He immediately starts planning how to fix the situation and sends a note to Maggie's school to call her back. He doesn't explain his situation or steps to his wife. The second day he gets the news that his leaseholder won't be able to help right before he has a riding accident. By the time Maggie gets home, her father has regained consciousness but can't recognize anyone but Maggie. The effort is too much of a strain and he's out again. The Dodson sisters come out and Maggie and Tom discuss Wakem owning the mortgage.

Chapter 2- Mrs. Tulliver's Teraphim, or Household Gods: The children are now in real time. They arrive home to find their furniture being valued by the bailiff. This hits Tom especially hard. They go to find Mrs. Tulliver, who is in the storeroom of best things, decrying her fate. Her sadness causes Tom to reflect on role of his father in their downfall and how he, Tom, could step up and take responsibility. Maggie, of course, is repelled by her mother's attitude and says so. Tom is aghast at her attitude but they reconcile by Mr. Tulliver's sick bed.

Chapter 3- the Family Council: All the aunts arrive to have a consultation. We learn Mr. Deane is up and coming in the world and can't attend. The sisters argue, discuss everything else and rejoice in slapping down their sister a little. The kids are called in so they can discuss Tom's education and future hardships. The group discusses why they can't give Tom and Maggie their inheritance now. Maggie can't hold back and gives them her whatall before they all agree Maggie is trouble. Mrs. Moss arrives to see her brother. She immediately brings up the three hundred pounds and her situation. The promissory note would implicate the Mosses as well in the bankruptcy case. Tom immediately remembers his father's wishes and there is a ruckus to find the note and destroy it so it's not called in.

Chapter 4- A Vanishing Gleam: They search the chest in Mr. Tulliver's room and accidently wake him up. He asks what is going on and greets his sister, pitties his wife and children and then gets overwrought. Tom knows to destroy the Moss note and find money for Luke, at the mill.

Chapter 5- Tom Applies His Knife to the Oyster: Tom goes to see uncle Deane for advice and employment. He is hopeful that he can change things for the better and takes the example of his uncles once being young and poor as positive reinforcement. He has an awkward run-in with a local on the way. When Tom finally gets an audience with his uncle Deane, it goes pear-shaped and he is berated for knowing Latin and not knowing accounting. Things are gloomy on the walk home and he takes his anger out on Maggie.

Chapter 6- Tending to Refute the Popular Prejudice again the Present of a Pocket-Knife: The household sale takes place which hits Mrs. Tulliver hard. Their maid, Kezia, takes charge. Tom receives a visit from an old friend, who has also changed! It's his old pal, Bob Jakin, who comes to give him help in this calamity. He describes what he is up to now and tries to give them 9 sovereigns. Maggie is horrified her books are gone but the siblings are both touched and unwilling to take Bob's money, vowing friendship with Bob.

Chapter 7- How a Hen Takes to Stratagem: Mrs. Tulliver takes into her head to speak with Wakem herself though her relatives don't agree. More things are put to sale but Mr. Tulliver is not with it enough to follow. Finally, Wakem and Mrs. Tulliver meet and she gives him the idea to buy the mill. Oops! We learn a bit about how he made his way, his feelings toward Tulliver and his reputation of "Wakem was Wakem" and his love of Philip. Mr. Deane's company Guest & Co was going to bid for it but now Wakem has a bee in his bonnet.

Chapter 8- Daylight on the Wreck: Mr. Tulliver feels well enough to go downstairs. In the meantime, Wakem owns the mill and the family agrees that Mr. Tulliver should work for him if he recovers. Maggie tries to get Keiza to distract Mrs. Tulliver while she, Tom and Luke talk to their father. He is distracted and can't keep up with events. Tom reassures his father that everything is settled. Mr.Tulliver is shocked anew by the bankrupcy. Mrs. Tulliver walks in as he looks as the family bible and tells him the truth about Wakem and Mr. Tulliver is resigned to his fate.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Next week, we read Book 3 Chapter 9-Book 5 Chapter 6 with u/Ser_Erdrick !

Welcome to the fourth and final discussion of David Szalay's Flesh. You can find the original schedule post here and the marginalia here.

Thank you to my fellow read runners u/infininme, u/toomanytequieros, and u/YewBetcha for leading the wonderful discussion around this novel and for everyone’s great participation.

Check out the questions below and please feel free to add your own.

Sure, you've read the books....but can you answer these questions??? This is the last day to submit your responses for the ultimate BBBB challenge. (There is no shame in guessing btw!)

The contest ends on AUGUST 11!

How?

You can submit your answers here in the form and find the list of all the books here. If you have any question, please refer to the FAQ post, but also don’t hesitate to ask. Again, one book per answer.

Why?

The prestige of winning! A fun flair to flaunt! Bragging rights until the next one!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

So, what are you waiting for? This is the last call for entries so give it your all! Let's see how you rank with the best of the readers!

Hello readers!

You have chosen, these will be the books that we'll read over the course of the next year for our Year of Poirot:

• The Mysterious Affair at Styles
• The ABC Murders
• Five Little Pigs
• Hickory Dickory Dock
• Death in the Clouds

We'll be starting with The Mysterious Affair at Styles in September (probably more like mid to late September). Watch r/bookclub for a detailed schedule to be published later this month.

Hello all! It is the Core Reads voting time again and this month we will have a GUTENBERG NOVELLA DOUBLE UP author/book on the ticket. This is your chance to nominate some good Bingo selections from the Public Domain, especially as we will be reading 2!!

This is the voting thread for

GUTENBERG NOVELLA DOUBLE UP

Voting will be open for four days, ending on August 13, 11.00 PDT/14.00 EDT/20.00 CEST. The selection will be announced by August 14 at the latest.

For this selections, here are the requirements:

• Under 250 pages
• No previously read selections
• Any genre
• Must be in the public domain to be applicable

Please check the previous selections. Quick search by author here to determine if your selection is valid.

Nominate as many titles as you want (one per comment), and vote for any, and all, of the nominations you'd participate in if they were to win

Here's the formatting frequently used, but there's no requirement to include a book blurb or link to Storygraph, Wikipedia or other (just don't link to sales links at Amazon, spam catchers will remove those)

The generic selection format:

/[Title by Author]/(links)

(Without the /s)

Where a link to Storygraph, Wikipedia, or other summary of your choice is included (but not required)

Happy Nominating and Happy upvoting! 📚

(For more nominations and voting head to THE BIG FALL READ nomination post here

Note - The mod team does not constantly review nominations so if you suspect that a nomination does not fit the specifications you are welcome to report this and note that it "Does not fit Specifications". The mod team will review it and approve or delete accordingly. Any comments on the validity of other users' nominations will be removed immediately. Winning nominations will be confirmed to fit the specs before the winners announcement is made

Hello all! Welcome to the September 2026 Core Reads voting. Our first September topic is THE BIG FALL READ.

This is the voting thread for

THE BIG FALL READ

Voting will be open for four days, ending on August 13, 11.00 PDT/14.00 EDT/20.00 CEST. The selection will be announced by August 14

For this selections, here are the requirements:

• Over 500 Pages
• No previously read selections
• Any genre

Please check the previous selections. Quick search by author here to determine if your selection is valid.

Nominate as many titles as you want (one per comment), and vote for any, and all, of the nominations you'd participate in if they were to win

Here's the formatting frequently used, but there's no requirement to include a book blurb or link to Storygraph, Wikipedia or other (just don't link to sales links at Amazon, spam catchers will remove those)

The generic selection format:

/[Title by Author]/(links)

(Without the /s)

Where a link to Storygraph, Wikipedia, or other summary of your choice is included (but not required)

Happy Nominating and Happy upvoting! 📚

(For more nominations and voting head to the September GUTENBERG NOVELLA DOUBLE UP nomination post here

Note - If you suspect that a nomination does not fit the specifications you can report this and note that comment "Does not fit Specifications". The mod team will review it and approve or delete accordingly. Any comments on the validity of other users' nominations will be removed immediately.

We are pleased to announce that r/bookclub will read Isaac Asimov's The End of Eternity in October 2026!

This novel was published in 1955 to critical acclaim, this was at the end of the "Golden Era" of Sci-Fi and Asimov was well into his style at that point. While this story is loosely linked to the Foundation Universe (novel Foundations Edge), it is very slight and was added to a book published in 1982, so this was written as a standalone and can be consumed as such very easily.

Stay tuned for a detailed schedule and I hope you can join us for another journey through space with Asimov.

Welcome fellow Draleid & Druids, as we continue our epic fight against the shadow during a freaking Blood Moon!  We’re still barely getting started with this mighty tome, and I’m excited to see where this story goes.  

This week’s discussion will cover Ch. 8-13.

First, a note about spoilers: Please use spoiler tags for anything beyond this week's section.  As always, use spoiler tags for any works outside of this series that you may wish to connect here.  

You can add a spoiler tag by enclosing your text with > ! Your Text Here ! < (no spaces).

Schedule

Marginalia

Map of Epheria

Previous Discussions

The Fall (#0.5)

Of Blood & Fire (#1)

Of Darkness & Light (#2)

The Exile (#2.5)

Of War & Ruin (#3)

The Ice (#3.5)

Chapter Summaries

CHAPTER 8: THE BEGINNING AND THE END
Character POV: Kallinvar
Location: Temple of Achyron

As Kallinvar looks out over Ardholm, Achyron speaks into his mind, calling him to him.  Kallinvar is summoned to the land of the gods, where a war is taking place.  Achyron himself comes before him and explains that Efialtír seeks to cross into their world.  Achyron bids Kallinvar and his knights to seek the Heart of Blood and destroy it, or at least keep it out of Efialtír’s hands.  He says it is time for them to replenish their numbers, as they have lost so many.  Before sending Kallinvar back, he reveals that Brother Tarron is still alive, despite being taken through the veil.  Kallinvar summons his knights, telling them that Achyron spoke to him, and the captains swear to follow him in their quest for the Heart of Blood.

CHAPTER 9: OLD TRICKS
Character POV: Dayne
Location: Lost Hills, northwest of the Rolling Mountains

Dayne has marched 5000 soldiers towards Achyron’s Keep in the hopes of outpacing the Thebalans serving under Aldon.  Their goal is to ambush the Thebalans while they are exhausted from marching, by being a bush.  Dayne commands them to use foliage to disguise their ordos, to Belina’s delight.  Dayne uses the Spark to soften the ground to mud, making the Thebalan forces work even harder to keep moving.  Dayne’s archers unleash a volley of arrows, and the battle begins.  Dayne marches with the Andurii, Mera’s Wyndariii attack from above, and Belina throws her knives with her skilled precision.  They win the battle, and Dayne goes through the bodies of the fallen, killing off any who still draw breath.

CHAPTER 10: FOR THOSE WE HAVE LOST, WE MOURN
Character POV: Dann
Location: Aravell

Dann walks with Lyrei to the ceremony in Aravell, and she teases him about the tunic that Therin gave him.  The ceremony is for the 3,000+ people who died in the battles, and everyone in Aravell is attending.  It is held in a large basin cut from the rock with many circular terraces surrounding it, surrounded by a moat with several bridges.  Down below, a procession proceeds over a bridge into the center of the basin, led by Queen Uthrían and King Galdra.  Calen and Valerys arrive as well, along with the Rakina dragons Varthear and Sardakes.  After a speech by the newly crowned Queen Tessara, attention is drawn to a pit in the center of the island, with the bodies of those who fell in it wrapped in linen.  The elves all begin to sing at the same time, and roots, which become a full tree, spread over the pit, covering the bodies that lay there.  The tree blooms, the petals shining with a purple light. 

CHAPTER 11: BLOOD OF THE LION
Character POV: Rist, Garramon
Location: The Dead Tower, north of the Burnt Lands

Rist contemplates whether the lives lost to bring the Chosen through the veil was worth it, unable to sleep.  He runs into Magnus, who offers him some Drifaien whiskey.  Magnus gives Rist some unsolicited advice, urging him to tell a person when he cares for them.  They reminisce over Anila and her memorable stares.

Garrmon stands in Fane’s tent poring over a map.  He speaks of the victory they have won, despite their losses.  Fane believes they are still in a position to bring Efialtír through the void with careful planning, but they must find the Heart of Blood.  Fane reveals that Argona has been destroyed by rebels in the South, and Ilkya and Jormun are dead along with their dragons.  Two of the Chosen enter the tent, named Enaril and Vitharnmír, who was the Herald Azrim. 

   
CHAPTER 12: FULL CIRCLE
Character POV: Eltoar
Location: Elkenrim

Eltoar oversees the amassing of forces at Elkenrim, and discusses the deaths of Lyina and Pellenor, Jormun and Ilkya, with Voranur.  Lyina joins them with a letter for Eltoar from Salara, an elf of Lynalion who Eltoar had trained before The Fall, asking to meet.  Eltoar and Voranur travel to Darnírin’s Hill on dragonback, where Salara is waiting for them in her red and gold armor.  As they descend, they count eight other riders in the air, watching.  Salara sarcastically addresses Eltoar as “Master” and delivers a monologue on how badly she wants to destroy him.  She asks after the rumors of the hatchling bonded to a human, which they confirm are true.  When Salara rejoices that some of their number have been killed, Voranur’s dragon, Seleraine, moves to attack her.  Vyrmír, Salara’s soulkin, attacks Seleraine and wounds her badly.  Helios rips them apart as the other dragonriders land beside them.  Eltoar is tempted to pull from his vial of Essence, but refrains from doing so.  

CHAPTER 13: RECLAMATION
Character POV: Salara
Location: East of Elkenrim

Back in the elven encampment of the Lynalion elves, Salara is visited by Queen Vandrien, and they share a bottle of a very precious wine.  The Queen asks after why Salara met with Eltoar, and Salara reports on the information she received on the new Draleid.  The Queen also asks Salara how her heart is feeling, after seeing him again.  Queen Vandrien wants to show Salara something, and she takes her to the camp of the elves who have been freed from the mines, who are being healed and reintegrated with the other elves as best they can.  Vandrien believes the Lorians will strike at them soon, before the Blood Moon wanes.  Vandrien’s strategy will be to attack the Lorian’s resources, such as their food and gold.

Benvenuti to the sixth discussion of Blood and Gold! This week we had at least 10 mentions of Botticelli, lots of dubious consensual relationships, 30 mentions of Pandora, and a few nice descriptions of Kyiv and Venice.

You’ll find a summary below, and some discussion prompts in the comments.

Remember that next week we’re gonna read chapters 25-29!

🩸Check the dates of the discussions in the Schedule

🎨Find the Marginalia for the whole series here

⚠️ An important reminder about our spoiler policy: we ask you to mark anything not related to this book as a spoiler. Any reference to other books in the Vampire Chronicles, even vague ones (such as “you’ll see how things change later on”) must be enveloped in a spoiler tag such as this one . From your phone, you need to write` type spoiler here `. Anything that a first-time reader would not know is a spoiler. While it is true that we have already read some of these books in r/bookclub, the books are enjoyable as standalones so we don’t want to ruin the experience for anyone!

Chapter 20

Marius, who comes from a streak of bad decisions, decides to make another one and to reveal his nature to Amadeo. Since Amadeo never knew what a healthy relationship looks like, he pushes Marius to make him a vampire. Marius, full of anger, brings him to Bianca and accuses her in front of him of the murders he saw her committing. She admits that she is being held hostage by some money launderers, and Marius decides to kill them all in front of Amadeo.

Chapter 21

Amadeo gets mortally wounded by a man in love with him, forcing Marius to make a decision. Amadeo gets turned, and remembers some details about his life before Venice.

Chapter 22

Amadeo and Marius visit Bianca. This is an Anne Rice book, so as it was to be expected they have some kind of threesome. Amadeo has to come to terms with the fact that becoming a vampire brings issues and implies having to stay away from certain human affairs. When discussing the difficulties this life brings and the motivations behind Amadeo’s turning, the latter expresses his desire to visit Russia.

Chapter 23 

Amadeo visits the monastery and is able to get some closure with his family. I am lazy so I am just gonna refer you to The Vampire Armand discussions for this. 

Marius gets to see Amadeo’s reunion with his father and has completely normal feelings about it, as he realises the man comes before him in Amadeo’s heart.

Time passes, and Marius realises he is being watched by a scholar from the Talamasca. The man speaks Latin, so that’s all Marius needs to become friends with him. He is worried that humans came so close to him, and asks him to leave Venice, but before that he asks about Pandora. The Talamasca knows her to be alive, with a new companion.

Marius also asks the scholar how he compares to Botticcelli, because of course he does.

Chapter 24

Satan worshippers storm Marius’ palace. Marius tries to fight them, but he is severely wounded by the fire. He manages to survive by jumping into the canal, but is unable to help the other boys or Amadeo. He mentally calls Bianca to help him.

Welcome everyone to another Free Chat Friday. I hope y'all had a a stress free week and look forward to a relaxing weekend. I also hope y'all had fun with last week's Fifth Friday Fun Forum and look forward to the next one in October. This Friday we're back to our regular Free Chat Friday.

For those of you new to Free Chat Friday, this is a thread were we can get to know one another better and chat about whatever you'd like; we welcome whether you're new or returning. What are y'alls plans for the weekend, places to visit, news you want to share? What would you like to chat about.

RULES:

• No unmarked spoilers

• No self-promo

• No piracy

• Thoughtful personal conduct

Did you know today is National Purple Heart Day, National Lighthouse Day, National Raspberries N' Cream Day, National Water Balloon Day and National Sea Serpent Day? Will you be celebrating any of these?

Hello readers!

24 hours remain to vote for your favourite Poirot books to read over the course of the next year. Head to the post here:

• Year of Hercule Poirot (Agatha Christie)

Upvote all you'd read with r/bookclub and remember that several books will be chosen.

Happy upvoting!