Because of Christmas, the groups that normally meet the last week of the month, met the week before Christmas. I had two groups that Wednesday and one that Thursday. I read all three books and attended all three meetings.
My first book group of 2025 has already met, the day after New Years. So I am right back in the swing.
I have all my meetings/books logged in my calendar for January - May 2025. Most of those books have been assigned.
I have the meetings on my calendar June - December 2025, so I do not accidentally schedule something else on a book group day. I will add the books later, as they are assigned.
I am back to four groups a month, sometimes the calendar aligns and it is one meeting a week. Sometimes the calendar is odd and I have two groups meeting on the same Wednesday. If it is two groups on the same day, I read the books and go. It is important to attend regularly and support the groups.
I am very pleased to have found a network of library book groups that work for me. Groups encourage me to read a more diverse selection. And it is great to discuss books in person. Plus it is good socialization for me.
I might have mentioned, I am also reading the books for Youngest’s book group 2025. There are 11 books, they have a party in December, so no December book assignment. All 11 assigned books are on my calendar, on the date her group meets.
Her first assignment for 2025 was The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. This is the first book in a four book series. I read all four books between 12/19/2024 - 12/29/2924. And then I read Richard’s first book in his second series, We Solve Murders.
Note of a wonderful feature on Libby - I have checked availability on Libby for my January-March 2025 assigned book titles. I am on hold for several books.
On Libby, if a hold becomes available too quickly, before I need it, youngest can put a specific future date in the system so I get the hold later, when I need it. Great computer magic. It is tricky to time holds so the dates are perfect, this feature makes it work.
Also it is very helpful to share a Libby account with youngest. If I have a problem, she fixes it. She works magic with the dates. She keeps an eye on what I am reading which generates discussion for both of us.
Reading the same book at the same time is not a problem because we each have separate Hoopla accounts.
We also share an Audible account. Audible is smart enough that we can listen to the same book at the same time and the system keeps it separate.
