Our August books were some of our most favorite picks of all time, and what’s upcoming for the rest of fall is only getting better and better. And with that in mind, we usher in a brand new month with a brand new book and an old one.
Watch August’s Boozy Book Club Hangout:
September Boozy Book Club Books
Leave Me
We’ve featured Gayle Forman’s books on That’s Normal plenty of times. She’s one of our favorites for lots of reasons, but mainly because of Adam Wilde. This month, on September 6th to be exact, Gayle is releasing her first adult novel, Leave Me. And when we say ADULT, we mean overworked mom has a heart attack and then takes a ginormous leave of absence from the life she isn’t sure she wants to live kind of “adult.”
Here’s the official summary:
For every woman who has ever fantasized about driving past her exit on the highway instead of going home to make dinner, for every woman who has ever dreamed of boarding a train to a place where no one needs constant attention–meet Maribeth Klein. A harried working mother who’s so busy taking care of her husband and twins, she doesn’t even realize she’s had a heart attack.
Afterward, surprised to discover that her recuperation seems to be an imposition on those who rely on her, Maribeth does the unthinkable: She packs a bag and leaves. But, as is so often the case, once we get to where we’re going, we see our lives from a different perspective. Far from the demands of family and career and with the help of liberating new friendships, Maribeth is finally able to own up to secrets she has been keeping from those she loves and from herself.
With big-hearted characters who stumble and trip, grow and forgive, Leave Me is about facing our fears. Gayle Forman, a dazzling observer of human nature, has written an irresistible novel that confronts the ambivalence of modern motherhood head-on.
I don’t know where in the world Gayle could have possibly gotten the idea that modern working (and staying at home) mothers would ever fantasize about passing their homes right on by some days. WHAT TOSH.
If I read this summary on a book jacket somewhere and it didn’t have Gayle Forman’s name attached to it, I probably wouldn’t pick it up. But I am more than excited to see one of my favorite authors tackle what looks like Basic Mom 101.
Boozy Book Club Discussion Thread for Leave Me
American Gods
If realistic family drama fiction is not your thing, September Boozy Book Club still has your back. Our optional book for this month is one that I’ve been dying to make you all read for years now. American Gods by Neil Gaiman is indelible. It’s delicious. It’s divine.
And I’ve been talking about it on That’s Normal for a long time.
I’d like to say that it’s not really optional for you all. Think of it as a primer for the amazing show that’s going to be everyone’s favorite come next year. You need to read it. It’s calling your name.
Here’s the official summary:
A storm is coming…
Locked behind bars for three years, Shadow did his time, quietly waiting for the magic day when he could return to Eagle Point, Indiana. A man no longer scared of what tomorrow might bring, all he wanted was to be with Laura, the wife he deeply loved, and start a new life.
But just days before his release, Laura and Shadow’s best friend are killed in an accident. With his life in pieces and nothing to keep him tethered, Shadow accepts a job from a beguiling stranger he meets on the way home, an enigmatic man who calls himself Mr. Wednesday. A trickster and rogue, Wednesday seems to know more about Shadow than Shadow does himself.
Life as Wednesday’s bodyguard, driver, and errand boy is far more interesting and dangerous than Shadow ever imagined—it is a job that takes him on a dark and strange road trip and introduces him to a host of eccentric characters whose fates are mysteriously intertwined with his own. Along the way Shadow will learn that the past never dies; that everyone, including his beloved Laura, harbors secrets; and that dreams, totems, legends, and myths are more real than we know. Ultimately, he will discover that beneath the placid surface of everyday life a storm is brewing—an epic war for the very soul of America—and that he is standing squarely in its path.
Get ready to worship, y’all.
Boozy Book Club Discussion Thread for American Gods
Two very different books this month, but that’s what makes Boozy Book Club the best right? Our live hangout is at the end of the month (Sept 26th), so you have all month to read and discuss with us on Goodreads. Use #TNBookClub on Twitter to talk to us while you read, to show off your book covers on Instagram, and to promote the live hangout everywhere else!
