Show the Library Some Love: Join a Book Club

February is Library Lover’s Month, and I can’t think of a better way to use the library than for a book club. My book club has been together for over 13 years and we have read well over 100 books!  Coincidentally, I started working for the Robbinsville Branch soon after we got together.  I remember feeling intimidated at our very first meeting as I learned that 3 of our members are teachers (2 of them English teachers), and very well read. One of my fellow members talked about books she heard about on NPR! I didn’t listen to NPR! I thought to myself “How am I going to find anything worthy of them to read?” Yikes. Fortunately, I discovered different ways the Mercer County Library System gives people like me, or anyone interested in their next favorite read, many options. 

For instance, did you know that the MCL system offers a Book Club in a Bag program? Newly formed book clubs, or even old timers like mine, can find inspiration here. Everything you need is in the bag, which includes at least 6 copies of a book, discussion questions, tips for the group leader, and more. We currently have over 150 titles in our system. All you need is a library card to get started.

Are you familiar with Book Page? It’s a publication that reviews new books for the best in their category.  Book Page has top picks for fiction, non-fiction, books on CD, interviews with authors, and even book club suggestions.  You can pick up a free copy in our branches and we also have a link to the most current online issue. You will also find archived issues for more ideas.

Our catalog page also lists the New York Times bestsellers in hardcover and paperback. You will also find new book listings in various genres such as fiction, non-fiction, mystery, biography and more.

Do you prefer reading eBooks on your device? On our home page you will find a link that takes you to elibraryNJ and hoopla. Here you may search many titles or subjects specifically formatted for your device. Your book will be delivered right to it.

As far as picking the right books, that’s always a hard choice. Our book club has no real “rules.” We take turns suggesting books and bring a few titles with us; then we all vote. This way no one feels too badly if none of us likes a title and, believe me, that’s happened!  But your library is here to help! So show your library some love and use our resources for your next great find!

Below are titles that have won rave reviews in our book club which you’ll be able to find in our library system. I can’t guarantee you won’t have to put them on hold, though, they are that good.

Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward

Living with his grandparents and sister on a Gulf Coast farm, Jojo navigates the challenges of his mother's addictions and his grandmother's cancer before the release of his father from prison prompts a road trip of danger and hope.









A Place for Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza

A story of family identity and belonging follows an Indian family through the marriage of their daughter, from the parents' arrival in the United States to the return of their estranged son.









Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Contreras Rojas

Told through the alternating perspectives of the willful Chula and the achingly hopeful Petrona, Rojas Contreras has written a powerful testament to the impossible choices women are often forced to make in the face of violence and the unexpected connections that can blossom out of desperation.








Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne

Adopted by a well-to-do if eccentric Dublin couple who remind him that he is not a real member of their family, Cyril embarks on a journey to find himself and where he came from, discovering his identity, a home, a country, and much more throughout a long lifetime.






- Ilene Z., Robbinsville Branch

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