Book Tasting News

For some time now we have been following the "adventures" that Book Tasting has read.  As you can see we have read a variety of books that deal with a lot of issues that we must handle everyday.  Many of the times everyone is excited about the books that we have chosen.  Some not so excited!  But we can't please everyone even though we would like to.

Choosing books for the Book Tasting has been a real challenge though.  Trying to pick a book that is engaging, makes you think, not "brain-candy" as someone put it one day, and that makes you think.  And everyone sees books differently then other people so how do I know that I picked the right one for the group?  How can I judge a book for other people, when everyone comes from different backgrounds and live different lives?  And what if I don't like the book, but the group does?  How do I continue with that?  These are just some of the questions that go through my mind daily when I am picking out a book for the book group.

When I first started with this group there were pamphlets, journals on which books to use for a Book Group.  I thought it was going to be real easy.

Boy was I wrong!

You see, some of these journals have great suggestions of new books that just came out, or great classic books.  But some of those, I know that my group would not appreciate them; and for myself.....they just seem too boring!!!!!  But the problem is, it might be boring for me, but maybe not for the group!

So I decided to have a list going of what THEY would like to read and discuss and I can't tell you how much that helps me out!!!  At every meeting, I lay out a suggestion sheet and when they think of a book, they write them down.  I usually take the list afterwords, try and look them up in our shelves in the library and discern which one might be good enough for our group.

One of the suggestions that someone made in the group caught my eye.  They suggested a Joanne Fluke book.  Now if your not familiar with Joanne Fluke, that's a shame.  She writes murder mysteries but short ones...not like James Patterson.  She has a heroine that owns a cookie shop who happens to come across dead bodies and helps the police find justice.  Fluke also has recipes of whatever the heroine is making....Chocolate Chip Cookies; Red Velvet Cupcakes; Key Lime Pie and many many more!!

So when I read that suggestion, I got an idea.  I talked it over with the group and they simply loved it!

They get to pick a book that has a recipe in it.  Any book, but they cannot be the same one (wouldn't want the same recipe being made).  Once they choose a book with a recipe in it, then they get to make the recipe, and bring it to the meeting.  They will then do a 5-minute synopsis of the book, and a did they like it or not.  Once everyone has shared their book.....we FEAST!!!!!!

Here are some suggestions if you wanted to try it with your group....or just make the recipes!!!

  

It is going to be a great meeting.  Something new, something different.  Kind of keeps the people wanting to come back and see what else I will do for our group.

If you are interested in what exactly we are reading...take a look at our Goodreads Group on the side of this blog, or go to the website:  Book Tasting Group

If you have any neat ideas that you are doing for your Book Group, or book suggestions please don't hesitate to comment on this page or on Goodreads if you have an account with them!