Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is a Thankgiving freebie — so we can each come up with our own take on something we’re thankful for this year.
I thought I’d take a moment to reflect on how important my book group is to me. A smarter, kinder, warmer bunch of people I can’t even imagine… and what’s funny is that while I feel that I know them all so well, we’ve never actually met in person! We have such amazing conversations about books in general, our shared love for the Outlander series, and our monthly groups reads… as well as offering one another friendship and support through all our many non-bookish ups and downs.
In addition to spending time with great people, thanks to my book group I’ve read some really wonderful books! Here’s a list of ten books that I might (or might not) have chosen on my own, but which I’m thankful to have read and discussed with my book group friends.
1) The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emma Orczky (review)
2) North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (review)
3) The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown (review)
4) The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd (review)
5) The Day of Atonement by David Liss (review)
6) The Light in the Ruins by Chris Bohjalian (review)
7) All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (review)
And these last three are extra special, because not only did we read amazing books and have fabulous discussions, but we were also fortunate enough to have the authors join us to answer questions and participate in the conversations:
8) Henna House by Nomi Eve (review)
9) I Shall Be Near to You by Erin Lindsay McCabe (review)
10) Gathering Storm by Maggie Craig (review)
So, a big virtual hug to my book club friends! Thank you for enriching my life for all of these years — I’m looking forward to many, many more!
What books or bookish things are you most grateful for this Thanksgiving week?
Please share your thoughts, and if you wrote a TTT post, don’t forget to share your link!
If you enjoyed this post, please consider following Bookshelf Fantasies! And don’t forget to check out my regular weekly features, Shelf Control and Thursday Quotables. Happy reading!
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Do you host a book blog meme? Do you participate in a meme that you really, really love? I host a Book Blog Meme Directory, and I’m always looking for new additions! If you know of a great meme to include — or if you host one yourself — please drop me a note on my Contact page and I’ll be sure to add your info!
Bookshelf Fantasies 
I’ve heard nothing but good things about North and South, and I really wanna read it! I’ve never heard of Henna House but it sounds so interesting! My TTT.
Henna House is a beautiful book, and the author has been doing this amazing project of connecting with 100 book groups about it (although by now, she’s gone way past 100). Thanks for stopping by!
What a great list! I just joined a book club a few months ago and I have read some great books already that I never would have read otherwise. It’s awesome. I am glad you loved All the light you cannot see. I love that one so much. Here is my top ten list: http://www.bookbinges.blogspot.it/2015/11/top-ten-tuesday-giving-thanks.html
I really love discovering books I mind not read otherwise, and then having people to discuss them with! Every once in a while I skip a book or I’m late, but the nice thing about an online group is that the discussions stay open, so I can always catch up. 🙂 We do a monthly contemporary book, and then do one or two classics per year where we discuss chapter by chapter, and it’s been amazing.
Interesting choices, and a nice reflection 🙂 Here’s mine.
Thanks!
Lovely list! Your book club covered some fantastic books–North and South, All the Light We Cannot See. Glad you enjoyed The Light in the Ruins; I have that book sitting on my TBR queue at the moment 🙂 Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving, Lisa!
My TTT
The Light in the Ruins was so incredibly powerful and moving. I hope you enjoy it! Happy Thanksgiving!
Book Clubs are awesome, I like many other still have to get to the Light in the Ruins! Have a Happy Thanksgiving! Here’s my Top Ten Tuesday
Happy Thanksgiving to you too! 🙂
Och, thanks Lisa! So glad you enjoyed Gathering Storm. New edition has a new cover to better reflect the thriller elements of the story and with a quote from your review inside. Would be happy to send you a copy if you would like.
Wow, Maggie, I’d be thrilled! Thank you so much!
I like your take on the topic this week. I have never been a part of a book club, but they sound like so much fun. 🙂 My TTT
If you can find the right mix of people with about the same level of commitment as you have, whatever that may be, then it can be a real treat! Happy Thanksgiving!
That’s so great! I’ve never been in a book club, but I think it would be a lot of fun to form a romance book club!
Ooh, that sounds like a great idea! I hope you do it!
Aww, this is such a sweet post! I would love to have a book club 🙂 I really want to read All the Light We Cannot See, it looks AMAZING. Not as much as I would like to meet some of those authors though. Meeting any author would be so much fun!
Thanks for visiting Addlepates and Book Nerds 🙂
Thanks! All the Light really is a terrific, moving book. Finding the right people (people who suit you) to share books with is such a wonderful thing. 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving!
What a great list! 🙂 I’m pleased you have so many wonderufl bookish people to share books with.
Thank you! It makes me happy too. 🙂
Wow! Thanks for including me on your fabulous list!
Very grateful 🙂
Thanks, Nomi! We were so delighted to have you participate with us over at Outlander Book Club… and needless to say, we all loved your book!