9/18: Other Worlds - A Sci-fi/Fantasy Book Club at Booksweet

Join us at Booksweet at 7pm on September 18 for our Sci-fi/Fantasy Book Club! We’re reading The Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil. 9/18: Other Worlds - A Sci-fi/Fantasy Book Club at Booksweet Join us at Booksweet for an out-of-this-world book club experience! Everyone is welcome to join the discusion of our favorite scifi and fantasy reads. Whether you're a seasoned fan or just dipping your toes into the genre, this is the perfect place to explore new worlds with fellow readers. For our Friday, September 18 gathering from 7-8 pm, we’ll be discussing Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil by Oliver Darkshire. Your Eventbrite RSVP is super helpful to our snack and beverage planning! About the book In a tiny farm on the edge of the miserable village of East Grasby, Isabella Nagg is trying to get on with her tiny, miserable existence. Dividing her time between tolerating her feckless husband, caring for the farm’s strange animals, cooking up “scrunge,” and crooning over her treasured pot of basil, Isabella can’t help but think that there might be something more to life. When Mr. Nagg returns home with a spell book purloined from the local wizard, she thinks: what harm could a little magic do? This debut novel by beloved rare bookseller and memoirist Oliver Darkshire reimagines a heroine of Boccaccio’s Decameron in a delightfully deranged world of talking plants, walking corpses, sentient animals, and shape-shifting sorcerers. As Isabella and her grouchy, cat-like companion set off to save the village from an entrepreneurial villain running a goblin-fruit Ponzi scheme, Darkshire’s tale revels in the ancient books and arcane folklore of a new and original kind of enchantment. A delightful and entertaining story of self-discovery—as well as fungus, capitalism, and sorcery—Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil is a story for those who can’t help but find magic even in the oddest and most baffling circumstances. So... what's this book club like? Scifi / Fantasy readers have been gathering bi-monthly for over a year now and it's been a blast! Some people finish the read, others dip in for as long as they have capacity for. All are welcome, valued, and celebrated. The group draws a crowd of about 20-30 people; enough to keep the perspectives diverse and fresh, but not too many that all voices aren't heard. We have a number of folks who've returned to us--and a number who are new. We discuss prepared prompts but we also go with the conversational flow. After a good discussion, the group votes on the next session's read. Feel free to pitch a book to the group, whether it's a new book you're itching to read it or it's a favorite! Booksweet is located in The Courtyard Shops, filled with AMAZING dining options. We will provide water and light refreshments (including nut-free and gluten-free options). Snacks and drinks are totally welcome; don't feel shy about sipping boba while we chat! We hope to see you there!