Annual Book Exchange

5 years ago, a good friend of mine (CD) moved from the bay area.  With her, she took her annual ladies book exchange brunch.

Last year, after several people lamented the loss of the book exchange, she and I agreed to resurrect it in my new kitchen.

It was a great success.  Here, are the recommendations (all attendees were invited to present one of their favorite reads):

(Also, I feel like I may have forgotten to take notes from a few, so apologies in advance if I missed you)

Jen -- Me Before You

Cat -- Jeanette Winterson: The Passion  and Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit

HG -- Game of Thrones (general series recommendation), This is Where I Leave You, and The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

KT -- Invisible Cities

AR -- As the Crow Flies (general series recommendation)

MS -- The Bastard of Istanbul

BT -- The Magicians (general trilogy recommendation)

E2 -- Hornet Flight;  and Defending Jacob

FL- Empress Wu; and Notting Hell (Good clean brain candy fun!  referenced by several other folks as a baseline of why and what we choose to read.  Sometimes we just want simple good fun.) 

CT -- Midnight in Sicily; and The Neverending Story (classic, and great to read with kids).

JT -- General endorsement for Tom Robbins (followed by general discussion of what a cool dude he is, super compassionate and "an old guy on twitter, how cool!"  Specific recommendations include:  Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas; and Jitterbug Perfume)

JG -- (didn't speak openly, but later, in close company endorsed a book I also sincerely enjoyed last year, which controversially won the Pulitzer):  The Goldfinch

Thanks to all who came.  I can't wait to see what next year brings. And if I missed any of your recommendations, please don't hesitate to let me know.