In this episode of Books and Boards, Kayla and Rachel cover The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer. They share what book series shaped their love for reading as children and explain their mixed feelings about Mastermind Jack! They'll be taking a winter break in January, but will be back for more books (and boards) in 2025! BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS: We appreciated how this book revolved around the characters' love of books from their childhood. What books did this remind you of from your childhood, if any? What fictional world would you like to visit from one of your favorite books or series? How did you feel about Jack putting the contestants through all of those games and challenges before helping them? Did you feel like he should have just helped from the beginning if that was his end goal? Were you surprised by how the contest ended? If so, did it feel cruel to you? Circling back to a question we used to ask often but haven’t in awhile, do you have anyone that you would cast as these characters in a movie? Be brave! What are your wishes for the coming year in 2025?! FOLLOW THE AUTHOR: @meg_shaffer

In this episode of Books and Boards, Kayla and Rachel cover A December to Remember by Jenny Bayliss. They explain why this book was the perfect way to kick off the holiday season and Rachel shares what cult classic tv show Rowan Thorp reminded her of! In the next episode, they'll be covering The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer, a whimsical novel to round out the year. BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS: What were your initial thoughts on Augustus? Did your opinion of him change throughout the book? The "summer sisters" were the main characters in this book, but they all had a lot going on in their personal lives that brought some surprising plot twists to the story! Were you surprised by the big reveal and conflict between Maggie and Joe near the end of the book? Which of the three sisters do you feel like you related to the most? In what ways did you relate to each one? Between the town hall meetings and the way everyone banded together for the winter solstice celebration, Rowan Thorp reminded us a lot of Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls. Could you see yourself living in and embracing that sort of small town community/environment? How does this quote from Star change your perspective, if at all, on the importance of leaving a "large" mark on the world: “I want to live small and happy, I want to leave only the tiniest footprint on the world. Why isn't that something to aspire to? My life goal is to feel contentment; to me that's the only thing worth striving for." FOLLOW THE AUTHOR: @jennibayliss

In this episode of Books and Boards, Kayla and Rachel cover The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston. They talk about the (many) reasons why they loved this story, and Rachel shares a few Easter eggs she picked up on while reading! In the next episode, they'll be covering another cozy Christmas classic by Jenny Bayliss, A December to Remember. BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS: How do you feel about books that are set in "real life" but have magic woven into them? Are you into those kind of stories, or does it make it harder to believe? Did you have any clue that Iwan was the man in the cab who encouraged Clementine to pursue her career in publishing? Was Clementine being too hard on the grown up version of Iwan and all of the changes that she saw in him? This book made readers think a lot about the concept of “right person, wrong time” and that eventually fate or destiny will bring those people together as soul mates. Do you believe in the concept of soul mates and/or there being one "right" person meant for everyone? Throughout the book, we kept waiting for Iwan to show up at The Met on Clementine's birthday! Do you think you could have waited 7 years to meet your long lost love again? FOLLOW THE AUTHOR: @heyashposton

In this episode of Books and Boards, Kayla and Rachel cover And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. They explore this iconic mystery genre and break down what made this book the world's best-selling mystery novel! In the next episode, they're taking a break from mystery and murder to cover a classic rom com by Ashley Poston, The Seven Year Slip. BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS: There was a lot to digest in this book, with plenty of twists and turns! Who were your main suspects? Did you suspect anything supernatural at any point? As the book went on, we kept finding ourselves referring back to the nursery rhyme to try and figure out how the next person was going to die. What did you think about how Wargrave used the nursery rhyme to mess with the guests' heads and instill that sense of fear? Did you have any inkling that Wargrave, or one of the other guests, had faked their own death and that’s how they were getting away with things? How did you feel about Wargrave's motive or justification for the game/murders? How do you think you would have responded if you were on that island?! Would you have wanted to stay near everyone like they attempted to do in the book, or would you have isolated yourself and tried to find a way to escape? Agatha Christie is one of the most best-selling novelists of all time! How does this book compare to others that you have read by her? FOLLOW THE AUTHOR: @officialagathachristie

In this episode of Books and Boards, Kayla and Rachel cover The Housemaid by Freida McFadden. They jump right into things and (playfully) psychoanalyze all the crazy twists and turns! In the next episode, they'll be covering a true literary classic by the queen of mystery herself, And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS: Who did you think the person being questioned at the beginning of the book was? And whose body did you think had been found? What kind of crime did you suspect Millie of committing when you found out she had been in prison for that long? While reading, did you think Millie was a reliable narrator? Why or why not? Knowing that there is a second and third book in the series, how do you think the story is going to evolve and continue? Would you have accepted the job if you realized the door you'd be living in locked from the outside? FOLLOW THE AUTHOR: @fmcfaddenauthor

In this episode of Books and Boards, Kayla and Rachel cover The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo. They dive deep into all the complex emotions this book brought with it and discuss the role of fate vs. free will! In the next episode, they'll be covering The Housemaid by Freida McFadden, a bestselling psychological thriller that will get you in the spooky spirit just in time for October! BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS: How did you feel like the writing style changed or enhanced the emotional impact of the story? How do you think Lucy evolved throughout the novel, and what events do you think were the most pivotal to her growth? One of the main themes of the book involved fate and free will. Do you think the events in Lucy’s life are guided more by fate or her own choices? What do the difference in Lucy’s relationships with Darren and Gabe reveal about her desires and needs? We didn’t necessarily get to see what happened in the aftermath of Gabe’s death, but were you satisfied with what we did get to see in terms of how Lucy’s “journey” concluded in the book? FOLLOW THE AUTHOR: @jillsantopolo

In this episode of Books and Boards, Kayla and Rachel cover The Paris Deception by Bryn Turnbull. They reflect on the differences between this book and other historical fiction novels they've read and discover how acrylic paint was invented! In the next episode, they'll be covering another tearjerker, The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo. BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS: Would you rather have taken on Sophie’s responsibilities that were more “invisible” and relationship-focused, or Fabienne’s responsibilities that were more on the ground and visible? Whose death were you most surprised or saddened by? Why do you think it was so important to the Nazis/the Reich to destroy “degenerate” art when they were trying to take over Europe? Do you think the characters in this book placed too much importance on saving art (and wine for some), knowing how much death and torture others were enduring? Speaking of the wine, were you surprised to know how much champagne was consumed, and that champagne production was part of the war in some capacity? FOLLOW THE AUTHOR: @brynturnbullwrites

In this episode of Books and Boards, Kayla and Rachel cover We Are All the Same in the Dark by Julia Heaberlin. They process all the deep dark details of this thriller and Rachel shares what moment from the book helped her figure out who the killer was! In the next episode, they'll be covering their second historical fiction novel, The Paris Deception by Bryn Turnbull. BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS: Was Odette’s death a surprise to you, or did you see it coming? How did the death of the main character impact the story for you? Who was your main suspect for Trumanell’s disappearance, and then Odette’s disappearance? Did you suspect the same person for both? What do you think Dr. Greco’s motivation was for writing the true crime novel about Trumanell and Odette’s case? Did it feel wrong or unethical to you? Why do you think we as a society seem to be so fascinated with true crime stories? Many characters in the book were haunted by their past, and Wyatt was even haunted by the ghost, or presence, of Trumanell. Do you have any spooky stories or experiences with ghosts? What were your thoughts about Angel’s storyline? Were you surprised at all by her connection and continued involvement in the story following the five year time jump? FOLLOW THE AUTHOR: @juliaheaberlin

In this special episode of Books and Boards, Kayla and Rachel talk about their first six months of the podcast! They share the results of the "Best of Books and Boards" Book Bracket with the gold medal winner being no surprise, and look back at their vision board to see how far they've come! Thank you to all of our followers and listeners for coming on this journey with us. At our six month mark, we want to invite you to bring a friend to book club and continue to grow this wonderful community we've created together! Long live Books and Boards Pod...iykyk.

In this week's episode of Books and Boards, Kayla and Rachel cover_ Murder at the Theatre Royale_ by Ada Moncrieff. They make an interesting connection between this book and Taylor Swift's latest album, and hone in on their detective skills! In the next episode, they'll be celebrating six months of Books and Boards Pod! You can expect to hear them chat about their favorite books they've covered so far, and more exciting plans for the future. BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS: Is the theater world enchanting to you, or scary? Have you ever been in a theater production? Often in books we don't know that a murder has happened for sure until it happens, but this story was full of foreshadowing... almost as if the main character/narrator was telling the story after it happened and reflecting. What did you think of this writing style? Which death were you most surprised by, Chester or Tyrone? What kind of woman do you think you would have been in the 1930s? More content in a homemaker role or driving forward in the workplace like Daphne? Would you hop in the car for a round trip with people you just met IF it meant you might get to solve a murder?!