Big Brummie Book Club

17/03/2026

17/03/2026

📚April’s Book Club Meet 📚

Join us on Thursday 2nd April at 6.30pm, at Loco Lounge, Kings Heath to discuss this month’s book club pick, Olga Tokarczuk, “Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead”. 🚜

This book is sure to bring an evening of mystery, philosophy, and literary brilliance as we dive into Olga Tokarczuk’s genre-defying novel. This April Book Club pick blends dark wit, ecological insight, and existential intrigue… perfect for readers who love thought-provoking fiction with a twist!

We have a new system for selecting reads, which means are wonderful members have opportunity to share the books they would love (if they want to)! This month’s book has been selected by the lovely Charmaine! 💗

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to make new friends, sink your teeth into some bookish chat and join in on some of our book club fun!🥰

New members always welcome, if you’re new and would like to attend, DM us! 🧡

22/11/2025

📚December’s Book Club Meet 📚

Join us on Thursday 4th December at 6.30pm, to discuss this month’s book club pick, Sue Monk-Kidd’s, “The Invention of Wings”. ❄️

A heart-wrenching literary fiction novel, The Invention of Wings is sure to bring on some powerful discussion as it explores themes of the fight for freedom from both slavery and patriarchal restrictions, the power of friendship across racial and class divides, and the struggle to find one’s voice against oppression. The novel also explores the evils of slavery, the necessity of resistance, and the search for belonging, often through religion.

We have a new system for selecting reads, which means are wonderful members have opportunity to share the books they would love (if they want to)! This month’s book has been selected by host, Cay! 🩵

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to make new friends, sink your teeth into some bookish chat and join in on some of our book club fun!🥰

New members always welcome, if you’re new and would like to attend, DM us! 🩵

22/11/2025

💙November’s Meet💙

📚 The cold, dark nights are in full swing and there’s nothing better to perk us up than a warm, cosy and bookish discussion about our monthly read, in good company 💙

This month we read & discussed “The Housemaid” by Freida McFadden🙌🏽

Our average rating: 3.5 stars⭐️⭐️⭐️

Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid sparked mixed reactions in our group. On the positive side, it was praised as a fast-paced, page-turning thriller that many found easy to dive into and finish within just a couple of days. McFadden once again proved herself the queen of accessible, easy-read thrillers. However, scores dipped among readers who were hoping for more literary depth and substance—something with sharper themes or complexity to fuel richer discussion.

➡️➡️Swipe to see why Helen chose this book ➡️➡️

Roll on December✨👀 Our next book has been selected & we will post details of the next meet shortly 👀

06/10/2025

📚November’s Book Club Meet 📚

Join us on Thursday 13th November at 6.30pm, to discuss this month’s book club pick, Freida McFadden’s ‘The Housemaid’.

A chilling domestic thriller, The Housemaid by Freida McFadden explores power, deception, and psychological abuse as a desperate ex-convict becomes entangled in the dark secrets of a wealthy family.

We have a new system for selecting reads, which means are wonderful members have opportunity to share the books they would love (if they want to)! This month’s book has been selected by Helen I! 💕

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to make new friends, sink your teeth into some bookish chat and join in on some of our book club fun!🥰

New members always welcome, if you’re new and would like to attend, DM us! 💜

03/10/2025

🧡October’s Meet🧡

📚 We are now well into autumn and the hot drinks were certainly flowing this month! 🍂

This month we read & discussed “The Briar Club” by Kate Quinn 🧡

Our average rating: 4.11 stars ⭐⭐⭐

This month’s pick was a hit across the board. We loved diving into historical fiction that centres women’s stories, and The Briar Club delivered beautifully. Quinn’s writing style captivated us—her richly embellished character development and distinct monologues made each woman feel vivid and unforgettable.

While most of us were swept up in the narrative, a few found the house’s inanimate-object narration a little jarring and not quite in keeping with the genre. Still, the strength of the characters and the emotional depth made this one of our most memorable reads to date.

➡️➡️Swipe to see why Becca chose this book ➡️➡️

Roll on November✨👀 Our next book has been selected & we will post details of the next meet shortly 👀

09/09/2025

📚October’s Book Club Meet 📚

Join us on Thursday 2nd October at 6.30pm, to discuss this months book club pick, Kate Quinn’s ‘The Briar Rose Club’.

The Briar Rose Club by Kate Quinn is a historical fiction novel set in 1950s Washington, D.C., where the residents of a crumbling boarding house form unexpected bonds amid the paranoia of McCarthyism. Through Thursday night suppers and shared secrets, the story explores themes of found family, identity, political fear, and the healing journey.

We have a new system for selecting reads, which means are wonderful members have opportunity to share the books they would love (if they want to)! This month’s book has been selected by 💕

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to make new friends, sink your teeth into some bookish chat and join in on some of our book club fun!🥰

New members always welcome, if you’re new and would like to attend, DM us! 💜

09/09/2025

September’s Book Club 💚📚

📚 …and just like that, summer is over with, the trees outside The Arty Goat are beginning to change colour & a cup of tea was warmly welcomed😍

This month we read & discussed “Everything I Never Told You” by Celeste Ng💚

Our average rating: 3.27 stars ⭐⭐⭐

Our group had mixed feelings about Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng, and while it offered moments of emotional depth, it didn’t quite score as high across the board as our last Ng-read (which even then, wasn’t very popular with the group!). Ng’s ambiguous writing style left many of us unconvinced — some found it evocative, others felt it lacked clarity and resolution. That said, her character development was widely appreciated; she crafts emotionally complex individuals with nuance and care. We all agreed she’d likely excel in screenwriting, where her atmospheric pacing and subtle emotional cues could shine more effectively. Ultimately, though, the novel felt too loose and meandering, with several narrative threads left unresolved, which made the overall experience feel incomplete despite its potential.

Roll on September ✨👀 Our next book has been selected & we will post details of the next meet shortly 👀

08/08/2025

August's Book Club 💜📚

📚 We had a wonderful meet yesterday evening, with some beautiful new faces in tow, we were a full house which made for some great discussion! 😍

This month we read & discussed "A Woman is No Man" by Etaf Rum 💜

Our average rating: 4.06 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

📚 'A Woman Is No Man' by Etaf Rum has been our highest-rated book club read so far—and for good reason. We were deeply moved by its educational depth, offering a powerful glimpse into the lives of Palestinian-American women and the cultural expectations they navigate. Rum’s choppy, emotionally charged writing style kept us hooked from start to finish, and the layered voices of Isra, Deya, and Fareeda sparked rich conversations about identity, silence, and generational trauma. The novel’s portrayal of Arab female experiences was both eye-opening and haunting. Our only slight critique was the final chapter—left open to interpretation, which some of us found beautifully symbolic, while others wished for more definitive closure. Still, the book left a lasting impression and gave us plenty to reflect on. A truly unforgettable read!📚

Roll on September ✨👀 Our next book has been selected & we will post details of the next meet shortly 👀