Your September NSBCBC Reads!
It is such a beautiful day already and it’s only 9AM. With 70 degrees of wonderful happening outside my window, there is not a cloud in the sky. And the best part—it’s only August. Usually I am not a tremendous fan of this month because in my memory, August is full of overcast days set on stopping me from jumping in a pool. But this August, it’s been a mix of July heat and September coolness. Perfection.
Because of this (and for reasons I’ll mention in a bit), it’s been incredibly difficult for me to read this month. Since the weather has been so lovely on my days off, I find myself pulling away from my books. And it’s only going to get harder next week.
The big news—the company that laid me off last year (actually a year ago next week) hired me back full time. I am starting almost a year to the day that I got laid off. It’s a great feeling because there is security involved in a full time gig (well… ok maybe not security, but at least a decent paycheck), and the knowledge that I’ll be back on track to pursue my career path.
The only issue is, because of last year’s layoff, and the start of the book club, I set a new course in my life. Now, more than ever, is this book club my priority. It became my beacon of hope when everything else fell apart. It gave me a sense of purpose and showed me what I was capable of. It’s something that I am not willing to give up, despite my new complicated schedule.
However, it may be a bumpy start as I learn to juggle it all so I pre-apologize for that, just in case.
Job-schmob. Let’s keep the party going.
With that said, I also want to say thank you again to all who participate in our little club. No matter how you’ve participated—may you be a casual reader of the blog, a listener of the podcast, or a person who one time liked one of our facebook posts—I just want to let you know how grateful I am to you. You help keep this thing going and keep me focused on growing this book club even more. So for that, I thank you.
And now, your September NSBCBC reads!
Getting people to participate in a book club is difficult. Getting myself to read even my own books can be difficult because well… see the above paragraphs. But there is one surefire way to motivate people to read a book and that is an impending movie release! That’s right. Every book selected for this month is going to be released as a film this fall.
1. This is Where I Leave You – Jonathan Tropper
First, let’s read the synopsis that I stole from goodreads.com, because I think it’ll do a better job describing the book than I would.
“The death of Judd Foxman’s father marks the first time that the entire Foxman family—including Judd’s mother, brothers, and sister—have been together in years… Simultaneously mourning the death of his father and the demise of his marriage, Judd joins the rest of the Foxmans as they reluctantly submit to their patriarch’s dying request: to spend the seven days following the funeral together. In the same house. Like a family.”
I have always been a fan of the reunion story. People coming together who haven’t seen each other in a long time always gets me. The Worlds End. The Family Stone. Best Man Holiday (Ok now, I didn’t actually see that one, but I really wanted to see that one so it still counts). Also, look at this cast. Seriously… look at it!
How is it possible that so many of my favorite actors decided to be in one film together?! My Christmas miracle came early.
This cast is comprised of basically every single actor I really love: Tammy Taylor. Peter Russo. Michael Bluth. Liz Lemon. Jean Ralphio. Adam, the creepy but lovable boyfriend from Girls! The only thing that could make it better would be if Leonardo DiCaprio popped in for a quick cameo (but only if he were dressed as Jack Dawson before he succumbed to the big chill). Anyway, these are all actors I respect and because they all chose to be in this film, I must assume that the script was good. And in order for the script to be good, the book must be as well. Fingers crossed.
Movie Release Date: September 19
Check out This is Where I Leave You on Goodreads and IMDB.
2. The Maze Runner – James Dashner
Want to see what actually sold me on this book? It was this:
3 Things that guarantee George will love a movie:
1. A Hunger Games vibe? Check!
2. Lots of boys – Check!
3. Spooky premise for movie theater cuddling? Check and check.
Brought to us by Mr. Me At the Movies himself, that frantic text was the dealbreaker. After giving himself so much anxiety about this story, we decided right then and there—The Maze Runner was in.
Recommended for readers who enjoyed The Hunger Games (so basically, everyone), this futuristic story takes place in a bizarre dystopia where an ever-changing maze keeps a group of amnesia-afflicted kids captive.
Check out the trailer that nearly killed our dear George Rose here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64-iSYVmMVY
Movie Release Date: September 19
Check out The Maze Runner on Goodreads and IMDB.
3. Dark Places – Gillian Flynn
There’s a good chance you’ve read Gillian Flynn’s other novel, Gone Girl. I say that because well, it seems as though everyone I talk to has read it and man, does that book have a polarizing effect on people! Instead of re-reading the massively popular book that made many literally throw it across the room with its ending, I decided we should check out Flynn’s other book.
Dark Places tells the story of Libby Day, a woman who at the age of seven helped convict her brother for the murder of her family. Years later, she begins to question her own story when she is contacted by a group who are convinced of her brother’s innocence. And that’s when the search to find her family’s killers begins again.
Set for a November 14 release date, the film stars Charlize Theron, Chloe Grace Moretz, and once again, my man PETER RUSSO! (Aka Corey Stoll).
For those who haven’t seen House of Cards, this is Congressman Peter Russo in a tub, looking sad. Maybe not the most convincing way to tell you to watch House of Cards, but I think it’s important you know this exists.
Movie Release Date: November 14
Check out Dark Places on Goodreads and IMDB.
With that, happy reading everyone!
Check out our podcast on nsbcbc.podbean.com (New episode coming soon!) and order your free NSBCBC bookmark by sending your name and address to nsbcbc@gmail.com. Make sure to check out our facebook page (facebook.com/nsbcbc) and our Twitter account @notsobookclub. Write to us! Send us your thoughts! We’d love to hear from you!
Tons of love,
Nina Sclafani – Founder of The Not So Book Club Book Club
Order your free NSBCBC book mark today! Send your name and address to nsbcbc@gmail.com to receive yours!
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