Books and Boards Pod

The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

In this episode of Books and Boards, Kayla and Rachel cover The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer. They share what book series shaped their love for reading as children and explain their mixed feelings about Mastermind Jack! They'll be taking a winter break in January, but will be back for more books (and boards) in 2025! BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS: 1. We appreciated how this book revolved around the characters' love of books from their childhood. What books did this remind you of from your childhood, if any? 2. What fictional world would you like to visit from one of your favorite books or series? 3. How did you feel about Jack putting the contestants through all of those games and challenges before helping them? Did you feel like he should have just helped from the beginning if that was his end goal? 4. Were you surprised by how the contest ended? If so, did it feel cruel to you? 5. Circling back to a question we used to ask often but haven’t in awhile, do you have anyone that you would cast as these characters in a movie? 6. Be brave! What are your wishes for the coming year in 2025?! FOLLOW THE AUTHOR: @meg_shaffer

A December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss

In this episode of Books and Boards, Kayla and Rachel cover A December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss. They explain why this book was the perfect way to kick off the holiday season and Rachel shares what cult classic tv show Rowan Thorp reminded her of! In the next episode, they'll be covering The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer, a whimsical novel to round out the year. BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS: 1. What were your initial thoughts on Augustus? Did your opinion of him change throughout the book? 2. The "summer sisters" were the main characters in this book, but they all had a lot going on in their personal lives that brought some surprising plot twists to the story! Were you surprised by the big reveal and conflict between Maggie and Joe near the end of the book? 3. Which of the three sisters do you feel like you related to the most? In what ways did you relate to each one? 4. Between the town hall meetings and the way everyone banded together for the winter solstice celebration, Rowan Thorp reminded us a lot of Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls. Could you see yourself living in and embracing that sort of small town community/environment? 5. How does this quote from Star change your perspective, if at all, on the importance of leaving a "large" mark on the world: “I want to live small and happy, I want to leave only the tiniest footprint on the world. Why isn't that something to aspire to? My life goal is to feel contentment; to me that's the only thing worth striving for." FOLLOW THE AUTHOR: @jennibayliss

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

In this episode of Books and Boards, Kayla and Rachel cover The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston. They talk about the (many) reasons why they loved this story, and Rachel shares a few Easter eggs she picked up on while reading! In the next episode, they'll be covering another cozy Christmas classic by Jenny Bayliss, A December to Remember. BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS: 1. How do you feel about books that are set in "real life" but have magic woven into them? Are you into those kind of stories, or does it make it harder to believe? 2. Did you have any clue that Iwan was the man in the cab who encouraged Clementine to pursue her career in publishing? 3. Was Clementine being too hard on the grown up version of Iwan and all of the changes that she saw in him? 4. This book made readers think a lot about the concept of “right person, wrong time” and that eventually fate or destiny will bring those people together as soul mates. Do you believe in the concept of soul mates and/or there being one "right" person meant for everyone? 5. Throughout the book, we kept waiting for Iwan to show up at The Met on Clementine's birthday! Do you think you could have waited 7 years to meet your long lost love again? FOLLOW THE AUTHOR: @heyashposton

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

In this episode of Books and Boards, Kayla and Rachel cover And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. They explore this iconic mystery genre and break down what made this book the world's best-selling mystery novel! In the next episode, they're taking a break from mystery and murder to cover a classic rom com by Ashley Poston, The Seven Year Slip. BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS: 1. There was a lot to digest in this book, with plenty of twists and turns! Who were your main suspects? Did you suspect anything supernatural at any point? 2. As the book went on, we kept finding ourselves referring back to the nursery rhyme to try and figure out how the next person was going to die. What did you think about how Wargrave used the nursery rhyme to mess with the guests' heads and instill that sense of fear? 3. Did you have any inkling that Wargrave, or one of the other guests, had faked their own death and that’s how they were getting away with things? 4. How did you feel about Wargrave's motive or justification for the game/murders? 5. How do you think you would have responded if you were on that island?! Would you have wanted to stay near everyone like they attempted to do in the book, or would you have isolated yourself and tried to find a way to escape? 6. Agatha Christie is one of the most best-selling novelists of all time! How does this book compare to others that you have read by her? FOLLOW THE AUTHOR: @officialagathachristie

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

In this episode of Books and Boards, Kayla and Rachel cover The Housemaid by Freida McFadden. They jump right into things and (playfully) psychoanalyze all the crazy twists and turns! In the next episode, they'll be covering a true literary classic by the queen of mystery herself, And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS: 1. Who did you think the person being questioned at the beginning of the book was? And whose body did you think had been found? 2. What kind of crime did you suspect Millie of committing when you found out she had been in prison for that long? 3. While reading, did you think Millie was a reliable narrator? Why or why not? 4. Knowing that there is a second and third book in the series, how do you think the story is going to evolve and continue? 5. Would you have accepted the job if you realized the door you'd be living in locked from the outside? FOLLOW THE AUTHOR: @fmcfaddenauthor