September Meeting

As our newest book club, we've been excited about the level of interest surrounding the group! We've had many interesting discussions and have already read some wonderful books. We're always searching for new members though. Teens and young adults from age 16 and up are welcome at the Young Adult Book Club. We will serve drinks & snacks at each meeting and each member will have an opportunity to say something about the book we all read this month. We also want you to know that everyone is welcome--even if you didn't finish the book yet or didn't like it at all. We want to hear your opinion regardless and welcome an honest book discussion. The goal of our book clubs is to bring the community together around a love for literature, not to scold you for your busy schedule or reading preferences. 

Click the cover to buy the digital audiobook from Libro.fm!

This month we're reading If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan (click the title to buy the ebook!) a novel about what a person will give up for a forbidden love. Here is the publisher's summary: 

Seventeen-year-old Sahar has been in love with her best friend, Nasrin, since they were six. They’ve shared stolen kisses and romantic promises. But Iran is a dangerous place for two girls in love--Sahar and Nasrin could be beaten, imprisoned, even executed. So they carry on in secret until Nasrin’s parents suddenly announce that they’ve arranged for her marriage. Then Sahar discovers what seems like the perfect solution: homosexuality may be a crime, but to be a man trapped in a woman’s body is seen as nature’s mistake, and sex reassignment is legal and accessible. Sahar will never be able to love Nasrin in the body she wants to be loved in without risking their lives, but is saving their love worth sacrificing her true self?

This book came highly recommended as:
Winner of the Lambda Literary Award for LGBT Children’s/Young Adult
One of Rolling Stone’s 40 Best YA Novels
A 2014 ALA Rainbow List Top 10 Title
A Booklist Top 10 First Novels for Youth 2013
A Chicago Public Library “Best of the Best” 2013

We believe these topics to continue to be of importance and believe in fostering communication with marginalized communities and about difficult topics. Ultimately though, this is a love story and, like many love stories, tragedy intercepts and our lovers must choose the right path. 

We hope you'll join us for a lively discussion. You can RSVP here on our Facebook page so we have a general idea of attendance but it's not required. Don't forget that purchasing your book at Foggy Pine will get you a 15% discount!